OKC Thunder Sign Free Agent Guard Isaiah Joe
The Thunder added to its guard rotation on Saturday afternoon, signing Fort Smith, Arkansas, native Isaiah Joe to a multi-year deal.
Standing at 6-foot-4, Joe comes to OKC after spending two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he appeared in 96 games. The newest Thunder guard cracked Philadelphia's starting lineup once in each of his two years with the team.
During his time with the Sixers, Joe averaged 3.7 points and one rebound in 10 minutes per game. The former 76er scored a career-high 18 points and made five 3-pointers in a contest against the Rockets in early 2022.
Joe also saw action in two preseason games for the 76ers this year, averaging eight points in less than 13 minutes per game.
Hailing from the state of Arkansas, Joe played for the Razorbacks in college, averaging 16.9 points and four rebounds per game in his second year with the program. Joe's impressive sophomore campaign led to the former Razorback being selected in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft.
As a freshman at Arkansas, the 23-year-old earned SEC All-Freshman honors. Joe will join rookie big man Jaylin Williams as the two Arkansas alums on the Thunder's roster.
The Arkansas product's main value comes from his confidence shooting the basketball; as Joe has shown that he is comfortable catching the ball off of an inbound play, maneuvering around screens and shooting off of the dribble. As a rookie, Joe shot 36.8% from 3-point range, which would have been the Thunder's highest mark last season.
Oklahoma City was statistically the worst 3-point shooting team in the NBA last year, so it is easy to see the role that Joe's signing is intended to fill. The Thunder's latest addition will likely compete for playing time in this spot with fellow young guards Lindy Waters III and Aaron Wiggins.
Over the offseason, the Thunder added former 76ers executive Vince Rozman to its front office. Working previously with the Sixers, it is safe to assume that Rozman is familiar with Joe's abilities and that this familiarity played a role in Oklahoma City's decision to bring in the 165-pound wing.
Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
