Celtics Acquire Thunder Sharpshooter Mike Muscala

Despite the Oklahoma City Thunder being expected to have a quiet deadline, they were the first domino to fall following the overnight blockbuster deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.

Veteran center Mike Muscala will be headed to the Boston Celtics for Justin Jackson and two second-round picks according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The 31-year-old has been a stabling force for the young Thunder team this season, always providing significant impact both on and off the court. He’s currently under contract for $3.5 million both this season and next, although the 2023-24 season is a team option.

Boston had a clear need for center depth leading up to the trade deadline, and now has help with Muscala. He’s one of the best 3-point shooting bigs in the entire NBA, knocking down 41.3% of his 3.5 attempts from deep over the past two seasons.

For Oklahoma City, it’s likely Jackson is waived as part of the transaction. He’s already spent time with the Thunder during the course of his career and doesn’t fit what they’re looking to do as of today.

This deal could also signal that OKC could look to acquire a center between now and this afternoon, as the roster was already thin at the position before dealing Muscala.

Only time will tell, but Thunder GM Sam Presti now has two additional second-round picks to work with.

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