OKC Thunder Land Potential 76ers Buyout Target

There won’t be any reunions between the Philadelphia 76ers and the veteran center, Mike Muscala.

Once the Detroit Pistons agreed to a buyout with the veteran earlier this week, Muscala was a popular name on the buyout market. Many suggested the Sixers should take a look at Muscala after they left the trade deadline without striking a deal to land a big man.

At this point, Muscala’s next destination is clear, and it won’t be Philadelphia.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Muscala is headed to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The veteran reunites with the Thunder’s organization after spending time with several other organizations.

The former second-round pick has been in the league since 2013. He started his career with the Atlanta Hawks, spending his first five seasons in the NBA there. During the 2018 offseason, Muscala was traded to the Sixers.

Muscala’s run in Philly would last 47 games. He averaged a career-high 22 minutes on the court, producing seven points and four rebounds per game. Midway through the season, Muscala was involved in a deadline trade. Although his contract was sent to the Los Angeles Clippers, he was traded the following day to their arena neighbors, the Los Angeles Lakers.

After a 17-game stint in LA, Muscala made his move to Oklahoma City. He spent four seasons with the Thunder before joining the Boston Celtics last year during the season.

This year, Muscala started off with the Washington Wizards. After 24 games, he was traded to the Pistons. Although he competed in 13 games with Detroit, Muscala hit the open market as he agreed to a buyout. The veteran was expected to gain interest from several playoff contenders. Ultimately, he’ll land with the Western Conference’s second seed, the Thunder.

What’s Next for Philly?

The Sixers are certainly a team to watch in the buyout market for a big, but the team’s President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey kept expectations in check following the trade deadline.

“There are obviously a lot of players available in the buyout market. I think that position has been lighter than others,” Morey said last month. “… We love what Paul and Mo bring, but I mean, obviously, after just maybe one or two teams recently, we’ve been the most injured or sick team in the league. We also would like to bring in another player. I could see us bringing in a player [on the buyout market], but I don’t see it as someone that you would expect to play a huge role necessarily.”

From a fit standpoint, Muscala made sense for the 76ers. It appears Philadelphia will continue to instill confidence in the duo of Paul Reed and Mo Bamba, as multiple bigs have been scooped up off the market recently.