A Look at Darius Bazley’s Hot Streak, Future With Thunder

With the 23rd pick in the 2019 draft the Memphis Grizzlies took a raw 19-year-old who had spent the last year interning with New Balance as opposed to playing collegiate or professional. Two trades later and the rights to that former New Balance intern, Darius Bazley, were making their way to Oklahoma City.

Three years later, 168 games, and one long rollercoaster of a career later, Bazley is playing arguably the best basketball of his young career.

In his last 10 games Bazley has averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, a block and a steal, on the most efficient numbers of his time in OKC. Put all that together with being the NBA’s most foul-free shot-blocker, and it’s clear what the Thunder saw when it acquired him a year removed from his high school playing days.

The biggest knocks on Bazley through two and a half seasons have largely been a product of his environment. His rookie season he was a part time player on a team that eventually finished as the fifth seed in the Western Conference. His sophomore season he saw Chris Paul traded and his own role expand to a full time starter — starting all 55 games played.

Bazley’s biggest hindrance has always been efficiency, and struggling to find a role that perfectly suited his skills. That sophomore leap in playing time did wonders to explore his game on both ends, but left his box score with some ugly percentages.

Now, one season later, he seems to have that role figured out. Thunder coach Mark Daignuealt has discussed how he envision Bazley as a small-ball center — particularly come playoff time — and injuries to Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Mike Muscala, as well as Derrick Favors being selectively rested has given Daigneault plenty of opportunity to explore that role with OKC short on big bodies.

Going forward, once fully healthy, Bazley may return to the bench unit where he has thrived for large parts of the season, but this sting back in the starting rotation has given the Thunder front office its best glimpse at what the forward is truly capable of.

Bazley’s third and fourth year team options have been picked up by OKC, but with that fourth year approaching this upcoming summer could determine where Bazley calls home for the near future.

Players on their rookie deals are eligible to sign extensions the summer leading up to their fourth season. So, The Thunder brass will need to decide this summer whether or not they see Bazley as part of the long term future. If not, there’s a good chance he could be dealt to secure some sort of return before his contract expires at the end of the 2022-23 season.

OKC is not short on options at the position with Robinson-Earl, Aleksej Pokusevski and Aaron Wiggins playing in a similar spot, but the performances Bazley has put up his last 10 outings suggests he may still be the cream of the crop.

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