Four Potential Free Agent Targets for the OKC Thunder this Summer

After a solid season, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have the opportunity to improve their roster heading into the 2024-25 campaign.

With Gordon Hayward's contract expiring this summer and OKC not being financially tied up by other expensive assets, Sam Presti and company should be able to acquire a player who could help the team take the next step over the offseason.

Here are four players the Thunder could target who are set to be unrestricted free agents this summer.

Gary Trent Jr.

While Oklahoma City had good role players on its roster this season, the team needed reliable scorers off the bench in the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks.

To add a talented scorer into the rotation, OKC could look to sign former Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr.

Last year, the 6-foot-5 wing averaged 13.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 39.3% from beyond the arc on more than six attempts per game. With his proven ability as a perimeter shooter, Trent would be a great addition to Mark Daigneault's offense, which emphasizes spacing the floor.

Just 25-years-old, Trent has experience performing well in the postseason and has scored at least 16 points in his last four playoff games.

Mo Bamba

Listed at 7-feet tall and 230 pounds, former Philadelphia 76ers big man Mo Bamba has multiple skills that would make him a fit in Daigneault's system.

Despite averaging just 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game this season, the former Texas Longhorn has enough size to provide a decent option as OKC's backup center and help the team get rebounds. Bamba also averaged 1.1 blocks per game this season and could help the Thunder as a rim protector.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Bamba's game, however, is the 7-footer's 3-point shooting. The former top 10 draft pick has shot above 38% from 3-point range each of the last three seasons.

With size, the ability to space the floor and a good rim protection, Bamba would seemingly fit in well with what Presti and company have built in the Modern Frontier. At just 26-years-old, the former 5-star prospect likely would be an affordable addition after a quiet season in Philadelphia.

Buddy Hield

Formerly a star at the University of Oklahoma, known sharpshooter Buddy Hield is also set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Despite playing 84 games in the regular season after being traded from Indiana to Philadelphia, Hield had a down year compared to his typical stats. In 2022-23, the 6-foot-4 wing averaged 16.8 points, five rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc on 8.5 attempts per game.

In Oklahoma City, Hield would get plenty of open shots off of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams drives into the paint. Hield is a reliable veteran who can knock down shots off the bench for OKC, which the team clearly needed in its series against the Mavericks.

In his first-ever playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers this season, Hield scored 20 points in Game 6 against the New York Knicks, knocking down six triples and grabbing four rebounds off the bench.

Haywood Highsmith

While Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith doesn't have eye-popping stats, he seems to have a skill set that could help the Thunder.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, Highsmith averaged a career-high 6.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game last season. The 27-year-old Baltimore native also shot 46.5% from the field and 39.6% from beyond the arc during his fourth season in the NBA.

With decent size, a good motor and solid 3-point shooting ability, Highsmith could also slide into Daigneault's system and become a contributor off the bench.

In Miami's win over Boston in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs this year, Highsmith knocked down three triples in Game 2, helping the Heat to their only victory of the series.

With limited production over the course of his professional career, Highsmith likely won't command a huge salary and should be affordable for OKC if Presti and company choose to pursue the Wheeling University product.

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