Oklahoma City Thunder Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Edwards, Caruso, Timberwolves, Cancar

January 13th, 2025 at 8:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was fined again by the league, this time for making obscene gestures toward an official. It’s the fifth time Edwards has been docked by the league this season. He’s also tied for the league lead with nine technicals. Head coach Chris Finch says he has spoken with Edwards about both issues.

“It’s been addressed for sure,” said Finch, per Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link). “It’s been addressed organizationally, individually. I think he’s aware. We’re all aware.”

Finch believes Edwards will do a better job of controlling his emotions, Hine adds in another tweet.

“He’s extremely self-aware. I think he has emotional control for sure,” Finch said. “I think he’s frustrated on many levels. I think some of that frustration is certainly in & around the whistle no doubt, but he’s just got to figure it out, play through it and he’ll be fine.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Alex Caruso is no longer listed on the Thunder injury report, signaling that he’ll suit up for Tuesday’s game against Philadelphia, Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman tweets. Caruso, who signed a four-year extension last month, has missed the past 10 games with a left hip strain.
The parties involved in the Timberwolves’ ownership battle met for a final time on Jan. 10, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. Arbitration hearings were held in early November and it was expected to take a few months for a ruling. The decision will likely be handed down within the next 30 days. The dispute over control of the franchise between minority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez and principal owner Glen Taylor moved to arbitration in July.
Vlatko Cancar traveled with the Nuggets to Dallas over the weekend and went through a full pregame workout, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Sports Journal tweets. Cancar underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Dec. 4. At that time, the team indicated that Cancar would be reexamined in eight weeks. The forward/center is currently inked to a one-year, $2.1MM veteran’s minimum deal.

Why J-Dub Should Be An All-Star

January 13th, 2025 at 3:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman makes the case for Jalen Williams to be selected to his first All-Star game, noting that the third-year forward is putting up career-best counting stats for the Thunder, who hold the best record in the Western Conference (32-6). Mussatto points out that Williams’ efficiency has dipped as his usage rate has increased, but ultimately thinks the 23-year-old will be one of the final wild card selections, as he’s been the second-best player on the second-best team in the league.

Thunder’s Ajay Mitchell Out At Least 10-12 Weeks

January 10th, 2025 at 5:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell has undergone a procedure to address a turf toe sprain in the great toe on his right foot, the team announced today in a press release.

According to the Thunder, the plan is to reevaluate Mitchell in approximately 10-to-12 weeks. That means he’s expected to be sidelined until at least late March, and possibly beyond that.

The 38th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Mitchell has been one of the more impressive performers in this season’s rookie class. He has been a regular part of the rotation for the West-leading Thunder, appearing in the team’s first 34 games of the season and averaging 16.5 minutes per night. He missed the past two games due to what Oklahoma City initially referred to as a sprained toe.

The 22-year-old shooting guard has recorded 6.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per contest, with an excellent shooting line of .506/.431/.848.

Mitchell had been considered a strong candidate to be promoted from his two-way contract to a standard deal at some point this season. That’s still a possibility, but there will be less urgency for the Thunder to make a move until late in the season, since the former UC Santa Barbara is no longer at risk of reaching his 50-game NBA limit in February or March.

The Thunder would have to promote Mitchell to the 15-man roster to make him eligible for the postseason.

Cavaliers Notes: Thunder Matchup, Garland, Mitchell

January 10th, 2025 at 12:22pm CST by Rory Maher

Entering Wednesday’s matchup in Cleveland, the Thunder had won 15 consecutive games (not including the NBA Cup Final, which doesn’t count toward a team’s record season record), while the Cavaliers had won 10 straight. It was the first time in NBA history that two teams had faced off with such lengthy winning streaks on the line.

In a high-level affair that featured 30 lead changes and eight ties, the Cavaliers emerged victorious in the marquee showdown, firmly staking their claim as the league’s best team, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

“I don’t know where to rank them, but they have definitely earned their record,” Thunder forward Jalen Williams said. “You don’t get to 32-4 by accident.”

As Vardon writes, several players from both teams shined throughout the game, but Cleveland center Jarrett Allen may have had the top individual performance, notching 25 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block with no turnovers in 32 minutes. He shot 9-of-11 from the field and 7-of-10 from the free throw line.

On a night in which Donovan Mitchell uncharacteristically struggled, scoring just 11 points on 3-of-16 shooting, the Cavs received major contributions off the bench from Max Strus (17 points on 6-of-7 shooting) and Ty Jerome (15 points on 6-of-7 shooting), Vardon notes.

“I told everybody after the game, as a unit we don’t win this game last year,” Mitchell said. “Everybody that came in did something positive to affect the game. … That’s a team win. That’s what it’s going to take to be the team we want to be.”

Here’s more on the Cavs:

ESPN insiders Tim Bontemps, Kevin Pelton and Brian Windhorst share their takeaways from the matchup between Cleveland and Oklahoma City, which many observers have called the best game of the 2024/25 season. The two clubs will have a rematch in OKC next week (January 16).
After Wednesday’s victory, point guard Darius Garland said he should be an All-Star and that he’s not the only Cavalier who deserves that honor, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “I’m trying to be humble as possible,” Garland said. “But … yeah, I should be an All-Star. Yes. There should be four of us on this team that are All-Stars.” While he didn’t state it outright, Garland was referring to himself, Mitchell, Allen and Evan Mobley, who was also terrific on Wednesday (21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists).
Garland backed up that statement by leading the Cavs to their 12th straight victory on Thursday vs. Toronto, pushing the team’s record to 33-4, Fedor writes for Cleveland.com (subscriber link). Mitchell sat out the second game of the back-to-back to rest. Garland, who turns 25 years old later this month, scored a season-high 40 points (on elite efficiency) while dishing out nine assists in the six-point win. Cleveland outscored Toronto by 18 points in his 36 minutes of action.

Thunder Sign Branden Carlson To 10-Day Contract

January 10th, 2025 at 9:29am CST by Rory Maher

The Thunder have signed rookie center Branden Carlson to a 10-day contract, the team announced in a press release.

It’s a reunion for the two sides, as Oklahoma City waived Carlson a few days ago before his full-season salary became guaranteed.

A 25-year-old from Utah, Carlson played five college seasons for the Utes prior to going undrafted in 2024. Known for his ability to stretch the floor, Carlson initially signed a two-way deal with Toronto in July, but was cut in mid-October, a few days before the 2024/25 season began.

Carlson, who opened the season with the Raptors 905 in the G League, signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Thunder in mid-November. He only saw garbage-time action with Oklahoma City at the NBA level, logging 25 total minutes across seven outings.

However, he has been pretty productive at the NBAGL level, averaging 14.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 blocks in eight appearances with the 905 and Oklahoma City Blue (27.9 minutes per contest). He posted a shooting line of .490/.367/.500 in those outings.

The move will ensure that Carlson remains in the Thunder’s system, at least temporarily. His G League rights are controlled by the 905, but NBA deals take precedence.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander “Comfortable” With Thunder, Wants To Stay In OKC

January 9th, 2025 at 9:31am CST by Dana Gauruder

The top player on the top team in the Western Conference plans to make a long-term commitment to the franchise.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters on Wednesday that he doesn’t want to play anywhere else. He’s not interested in going to a bigger market, as many of the league’s stars have done in recent years.

“I can only speak for myself. I love Oklahoma City and I can’t see a world where I’m not in Oklahoma City,” he said, as relayed by The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd. “I’m comfortable where I am. I like where I am. I love the people in the organization, love the people around me, and those are the things that matter. I go to work every day with a smile on my face.

“Me personally, the market doesn’t matter. The money doesn’t matter to a certain extent. But as long as I enjoy what I’m doing at a very high level, I love the people that I’m around doing it.”

Gilgeous-Alexander signed a maximum-salary rookie scale extension in 2021. He’s currently in the third season of that five-year, $179.3MM contract.

SGA met the performance criteria to sign a designated veteran (ie. super-max) extension worth 35% of the salary cap when he made All-NBA teams in 2023 and 2024. However, he was ineligible to ink that extension last summer because seven seasons of NBA service are required. This is his seventh season, meaning he’ll be able to sign it in July 2025.

It’s a virtual lock that the franchise will offer him that super-max, which projects to be worth as much as $293MM over four years, beginning in 2027/28.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s statistics this season are closely aligned with last season’s numbers, when he made the All-NBA First Team and finished second in MVP voting. He’s averaging 31.3 points, 6.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks per game for the Thunder, who are 30-6 despite losing their showdown with Eastern Conference-leader Cleveland on Wednesday.

Fischer’s Latest: Butler, Grizzlies, Bucks, Suns, Beal, More

January 8th, 2025 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Exploring the Jimmy Butler situation in his latest Substack article for The Stein Line, Jake Fischer confirms that the Grizzlies and Bucks are among the teams that Butler’s camp has discouraged from trading for the Heat forward. Chris Haynes first reported that Memphis had been advised not to pursue Butler, while Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports later added that Milwaukee had received a similar message.

Fischer also confirms that the Suns clearly appear to be Butler’s preferred landing spot, not only because he wants to team up with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker but because team owner Mat Ishbia has established himself as a free spender who would presumably give Butler the sort of contract extension he’s seeking.

If Phoenix makes a move for Butler, it would have to include Bradley Beal, but the Suns have no desire to broach the subject with Beal – who has a no-trade clause – unless they’re able to figure out a multi-team scenario that could work. Miami reportedly has no interest in taking on the well-paid veteran guard and his no-trade clause.

“You can’t bring anything to Brad unless there’s a deal on the table,” a veteran Eastern Conference executive told Fischer. “You can’t lose him until you know you’re going to move him.”

While they would like to land Butler, the Suns are also actively exploring other options on the trade market, gauging what sort of return they could acquire if they were to give up their 2031 first-round pick, which is their only tradable first-rounder, Fischer writes.

Here’s more from Fischer:

Although the Suns‘ decision to remove Beal from their starting lineup has been widely viewed as an attempt to encourage him to waive his no-trade clause, sources tell Fischer the team is hoping the move to the second unit will “spark more of an aggressive output” from the guard as a “microwave scorer.” Of course, there’s no reason that both explanations can’t be true.
The Grizzlies have made Luke Kennard, John Konchar, and draft capital available as they seek an upgrade on the trade market. But even if Butler were open to moving to Memphis, it’s unclear if the team would have an appetite for a bigger deal that would involve Marcus Smart and Brandon Clarke, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that the Grizzlies highly value both of those players.
The Thunder and Kings opened up roster spots on Tuesday by waiving Branden Carlson and Orlando Robinson, respectively. Those roster spots may come in handy on the trade market, but if they’re still open after the deadline, Ajay Mitchell and Isaac Jones are worth monitoring as candidates to be promoted from two-way contracts, says Fischer.

Trade Rumors: Collins, Hachimura, Knecht, Johnson, Kings, Nets

January 7th, 2025 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Big man John Collins is having a strong season for the Jazz, averaging 17.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, with career highs in assists (2.5) and steals (1.1) per game, as well as three-point percentage (43.8%).

While Collins’ contract – which includes a $26.58MM salary this season and a 2025/26 player option worth the same amount, will limit his value on the trade market, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) hears the 27-year-old has drawing interest from several teams.

However, the Suns aren’t one of those clubs — there have been no talks between Phoenix and Utah about Collins, Gambadoro reports. That’s not a surprise, given Phoenix’s apron-related constraints.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

Rival executives have told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report that the Lakers have shown no interest thus far in discussing deals that would involve forwards Rui Hachimura and/or Dalton Knecht. That lines up with reporting from Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who suggested last month that the team viewed Knecht as a long-term keeper and wouldn’t be eager to part with Hachimura.
Within the last few weeks, the Lakers, Grizzlies, Kings, Thunder, and Pacers are among the teams that have been mentioned as potential suitors for Nets forward Cameron Johnson. According to Net Income and Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily, one well-placed source said that much of what’s been written about Johnson recently is “completely incorrect.” However, that source didn’t offer any further specifics, per NetsDaily’s duo, who note that there’s plenty of time for the situation to develop before the February 6 trade deadline. NetsDaily also hears from sources that Sacramento has been willing to offer at least one first-round pick for Johnson, but Brooklyn is seeking a more significant return.
In a separate story, NetsDaily stresses that the Nets continue to focus on maximizing their cap room for 2025 and aren’t interested in taking on multiyear money in trades. That means, for instance, if the Kings wanted to make a Johnson trade that included Kevin Huerter (who has an $18MM guaranteed salary for 2025/26), it would likely require a third team.
In a pair of ESPN articles for subscribers, Brian Windhorst examines the biggest roster holes for 15 potential contenders and explores the odds of each of those clubs making a significant trade, while Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton identify one trade candidate to watch from all 30 NBA teams.

Thunder Cut Branden Carlson

January 7th, 2025 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have placed center Branden Carlson on waivers, the team announced today. The move ensures that Oklahoma City won’t be on the hook for Carlson’s full-season salary, since his deal was non-guaranteed.

Carlson, who opened the season with the Raptors 905 in the G League, signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Thunder in mid-November.

Carlson only saw garbage-time action with Oklahoma City at the NBA level, logging 25 total minutes across seven outings. He also appeared in five Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games for the OKC Blue, averaging 15.2 points and 8.6 rebounds in 25.6 minutes per contest.

A team that wants to avoid locking in a player’s non-guaranteed salary for the rest of the season must waive him by January 7, which is why the Thunder are making this move today. Although Carlson won’t earn his full $990,895 salary, he’ll be credited for 55 days of service, resulting in a salary (and dead-money cap hit) of $365,767.

The Thunder will open up a roster spot as a result of the transaction. I’d expect them to keep it open or use it for 10-day signings until they get a sense of whether it will be useful for trade purposes.

As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet tweets, the Raptors 905 still control Carlson’s G League rights, so if he ends up returning to the NBAGL, Toronto’s affiliate would have the option of bringing him back to the team.

Heat Expect Jimmy Butler To Play If He Isn’t Traded

January 6th, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat expect Jimmy Butler to resume playing after his seven-game suspension is over if he hasn’t been traded by then, a source close to the situation tells Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Management isn’t willing to let Butler stay away from the team and collect the remainder of his $48.8MM salary, Chiang adds.

Chiang’s source also says Miami has engaged in trade talks about Butler with numerous teams over the past several days, but hasn’t received an offer worth pursuing. He confirms that the Suns are among those expressing interest, but the Heat have no interest in taking on Bradley Beal because of the no-trade clause in his contract. That means a third team would have to be willing to absorb Beal’s $50.2MM salary and he would have to OK the deal.

Even though he’s suspended, Butler is able to work out at the team’s Kaseya Center facilities while the Heat are on a six-game road trip, Chiang adds. He’ll be eligible to return to the court for a January 17 home game against Denver.

Efforts to find a taker for Butler have been complicated by Miami’s desire to take back the lowest possible amount of guaranteed salary beyond this season, Marc Stein states in his latest Substack column (subscription required). That has led to pessimism about finding a deal quickly, especially with the Warriors reportedly no longer interested.

Stein also points out that missing the playoffs would be “legitimately disastrous” for the Heat, which may explain the motivation to keep playing Butler if no trade materializes. If Miami doesn’t reach the postseason, its 2026 first-round pick would be sent to Oklahoma City without any protections.

That pick was originally shipped to the Clippers in the four-team sign-and-trade deal that brought Butler to the Heat in 2019, Stein explains, and the Thunder acquired it in 2022. If the Heat reach the playoffs this season, OKC will get Miami’s 2025 first-rounder, which would fall outside the top 14. If the Heat are in the lottery, the unprotected first-rounder would convey in 2026.

Stein also points out that Miami owes a first-round pick to Charlotte from last season’s trade for Terry Rozier. Because of the Stepien rule that prevents teams from trading their first-rounders in back-to-back years, if the Oklahoma City pick conveys in 2026, the pick to the Hornets will be tied up until 2028, reducing the Heat’s flexibility moving forward.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst also offers an update on Butler trade talks (video link), saying the Heat “don’t like their hand at all right now.” Sources tell Windhorst that Pat Riley‘s declaration last month that the team wasn’t interested in trading Butler came after several offers were received that were unsatisfactory. Windhorst adds that rival clubs seem to be testing Miami to see how low it is willing to sell Butler.

He notes that the only exception has been the Suns, whom he cites as the “best fit and most aggressive team” in the Butler pursuit. However, the Heat’s lack of interest in Beal is a major roadblock, and it’s very difficult to put together a three- or four-team deal under current CBA restrictions.

Windhorst still expects Butler to be traded somewhere before the deadline, but he states that Miami is operating from a position of weakness.