Loaded Roster Presents Challenges, Options for Thunder as Free Agency Looms
Oklahoma City took a jam-packed roster into the Barclays Center on Draft night last week. They left with an even more overloaded roster.
Entering the draft, the Thunder had 16 players under contract or with options to play for the team next season. The Thunder then drafted four players, bringing that number up to 20. When the season rolls around, OKC won’t have all 20 players on the roster. The reason being, they can’t.
But, whittling a roster from 20 down to 13 is difficult for any team, and with free agency still looming in the future, it’s possible for that number to rise before falling.
The large roster does provide some positives for OKC. It gives the young, rebuilding team options, meaning they have multiple routes they could take to get down to their ideal 13-man roster.
Here is a probable solution to the Thunder’s issue:
The Thunder roster can be narrowed into three groups of players, the certain roster guys, the middlemen, and the guys who could miss out on the roster.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren, and the other draftees are certainly going to make it through the cuts. Jaylin Williams, Arkansas, would be the draftee with the biggest haze around his future. But being an early second-round pickup at a position the Thunder need depth at, Williams could find himself in that first group.
Lu Dort, for now, finds himself in the top group of safe players, despite not having an extension on the books, yet. However, after making it through the draft on the roster, Dort’s spot seems to be safe with both parties having a mutual interest to stay together.
The middlemen are those whose spots seem safe from being released, for the right price, could see themselves on the move but for now, seem to have a hold on their roster spot.
Darius Bazley and Tre Mann lead this group in the offseason. Mann had a stellar rookie season, filling in when needed and turning heads in the process. He’s on a low-money rookie contract. Bazley could have suitors around the league, but for now, remains a valuable piece for the Thunder off the bench. He’s due $4.2 million next season.
Other players in this group include Aleksej Pokusevski, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Isaiah Roby, and more than likely Kenrich Williams.
The final group could be the most likely recipients of trades or finding themselves on waivers. Some of the players in this group could also receive two-way contracts.
Aaron Wiggins and Vit Krejcji are two names to watch. They could be recipients of roster spots. Wiggins earned a four-year deal last year after bursting onto the scene when OKC needed him. He’s a valuable bench piece for OKC.
Ty Jerome could find himself on the move with OKC’s army of guards who have come in fighting for spots, which includes Mann and Jaylen Williams. Jerome is coming off a year where he had season-ending surgery. Theo Maledon is another interesting name who could be on the move. Since OKC drafted him, he hasn’t turned into the player they were hoping for, but he hasn’t been awful. He’ll have suitors and could turn into more future draft picks. The newest veteran of OKC, JaMychal Green, would be a solid veteran addition for OKC, but he doesn’t fit in the scope of the rebuild, and Sam Presti has been open with the fact Green more than likely will not play a game in OKC.
OKC has choices to make as they have free agents they could target, but already have seven too many players on roster. The offseason is just getting started for OKC.
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