Thunder Prospect Evaluation: Mike Muscala

A former second-round pick, Mike Muscala has been a quality role player his entire career. Now that he’s 30 years old, the 6-foot-10 forward is playing somewhat of a mentorship role with the Oklahoma City Thunder off the court.

On the court, Muscala is a floor spacing big that’s perfect for a modern NBA team’s bench. A loyal player and person, he’s well-respected across the league.

As each player in this series is evaluated, it’s important to consider the prospect they are now, but more importantly how they could look in five years when the Thunder are a competitive playoff team once again.

Last Season’s Numbers

Muscala spent the last two seasons with the Thunder, serving in a variety of roles. Last season in OKC, he averaged 9.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 91.7 percent from the line and 37.0 percent from deep.

While he was an efficient scorer, Muscala has also proven to be an improved defender over the past few seasons. He’s certainly not a defensive stopper, but he’s serviceable on that end of the floor and tends to make a positive impact.

What’s most interesting about Muscala is that he could have been flipped at last years deadline trade deadline, but opted to stick around. Even knowing he wasn’t a major part of plans for remainder of season in Oklahoma City, he preferred to finish the season with the team heading into free agency.

Muscala has shown many times that he loves playing in the Thunder organization and is happy being part of the team regardless of the role.

"I'll always be a #Thunder fan and always rooting for the Thunder."

Mike Muscala tears up as he reflects on his time in OKC and approaches free agency. pic.twitter.com/Ku25ZTtEX4
— Luke Slabaugh (@LukeSlabaugh) May 17, 2021

Fit On Current Roster

Muscala was brought back to OKC at 30 years old to be a leader on and off the floor for the next couple of seasons. Signed to a deal worth $7 million over two seasons, he’s going to have an interesting role going forward.

With that in mind, Muscala will truly be valuable to have around with how young the Thunder’s roster is. To the front office, especially since winning isn’t the focal point of the team at the moment, his on-court impact isn’t as important.

Rather, if he can be a veteran presence to help the young guys develop, that’s his role and what matters most.

If Muscala can teach guys how to play the right way and be a good person, this contract will be a no-brainer.

Long-Term Fit

It’s difficult to pin a long-term fit in Oklahoma City for Muscala. Even prior to being re-signed at the start of free agency, it seemed unlikely he’d be brought back by the Thunder.

With that in mind, he could be the next Nick Collison for the Thunder. Oklahoma City has shown they value players who embody the culture they’ve put in place.

Whether it’s for the next two years or beyond, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Muscala play a veteran role in OKC for years to come.

Overall, Muscala was a great signing for the Thunder and he should be worth every penny for what he does behind the scenes.

Prospect Grade

C+

Muscala at age 30 obviously isn’t a prospect, but gets a solid grade for what he’ll do for other prospects on the roster. Furthermore, when he is on the floor this season, he’ll be pretty good as well with his ability to stretch the floor and do things right.

The impact Muscala has on this team during the 2021-22 season and beyond might go unnoticed to some, but Thunder GM Sam Presti knows how much he brings to the table.