Bismack Biyombo Will Not Suit Up For OKC Thunder Until After the All-Star Break
The Oklahoma City Thunder secured a significant buyout acquisition on Sunday, adding Bismack Biyombo to a standard NBA pact for the remainder of the season. This gives the OKC Thunder a chance to have a change-of-pace big man, which could pay dividends in certain playoff matchups.
The 31-year-old big man started this season in Memphis, where he appeared in 30 games (27 starts), averaging 5.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 stocks per contest.
While the Thunder are not likely to make Biyombo a fixture of their rotation, he certainly will provide value as a force down-low, absorbing and delivering contact, boxing out, and deterring shots at the rim off the bench.
Despite Biyombo's 6-foot-8 listed height, he checks in at 255 pounds, with a 7'6 wingspan making him the perfect more "Traditional big" that many have clamored for the Thunder to add.
This is on the heels of the Thunder acquiring Gordon Hayward during Thursday's NBA trade deadline, which shook up the roster in Bricktown.
These moves have addressed two of the Thunder's biggest weaknesses: rebounding and bench scoring. However, they will not reap the benefits of these moves for at least another week.
On Friday, Mark Daigneault announced Hayward would not join the Thunder on the hardwood until after the All-Star Break. On Sunday, he gave that same timeline for Biyombo.
The two Charlotte Hornet teammates will be reacquainted in Oklahoma City with the earliest possible debut date of Feb. 22 against the L.A. Clippers. According to Daigneault, Hayward is "On the door step" of returning. For Biyombo, he has been a free agent since Jan. 9, so the All-Star Break comes at a perfect time to serve as a ramp up period for the former first-round pick.
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