OKC Thunder: Isaiah Joe’s Contract has Proven to be a Steal

Isaiah Joe had an incredible season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers and picked up by the team on a three-year, non-guaranteed deal. Going into next season, his contract, which falls just under $2 million, is no longer guaranteed. The team has an option on whether or not to pick up the contract in the final year of the deal.

Obviously, at the time, the contract made sense. Joe was unproven and just waived by the 76ers after having been a later second round pick in the draft.

This story isn’t new to Thunder fans. Lu Dort was undrafted, signed a contract that was considered to be among the best in the league, then played his way into a payday. Joe seems to be on his way to the same.

Sharpshooters get paid in today’s league. For example, Duncan Robinson got a five-year, $90 million contract based on his shooting alone.

With Joe’s value to the team, which goes beyond shooting, his next contract is going to be less team-friendly, but it will likely be in the Thunder’s best interest to retain his talents.

Joe plays perfectly into the Thunder’s current system. He makes quick decisions, spaces the floor and plays with enough effort to be productive on either side of the ball. He’s exactly what the Thunder will need in the rotation as they continue to stockpile talent.

Again, the 6-foot-3 sharpshooter has played one year out of his three on his non-guaranteed contract and he’s already outgrowing the contract.

This past season, Joe averaged 9.5 points per game on 19.1 minutes per game, which is incredible value given the minutes he was playing. It seemed as if he played impactful, winning minutes every chance he got. He shot over 40 percent on 3-pointers, too.

Now, it’s just a matter of capitalizing on winning and stockpiling talent before Joe gets a payday like the other players in his shoes before him.

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the 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.