Should the OKC Thunder Keep Bismack Biyombo For Locker Room Presence?

Oklahoma City made moves at the trade deadline, but unfortunately none of them were enough to push the team over the top. All three deadline acquisitions failed to make an impact on the court and Oklahoma City fell short in the second round against the Finals bound Dallas Mavericks.

Gordon Hayward was the most notable move, but based on his distaste with his role and exit interview comments, it seems likely that he would explore options else where. Mike Muscala and Bismack Biyombo, though, had nothing but great things to say about the organization and their role within the team.

Muscala was a fan favorite over the years, and it’s clear how he feels about the Thunder. Biyombo, however, was only in Oklahoma City for half a season and meshed well in the locker room. If he’s willing to take a bench spot for the veteran minimum, could the Thunder look to bring him back? It’s at least worth a conversation.

Biyombo played in just 10 games with the Thunder and only averaged 1.8 points and 1.8 rebounds. He shot 58.3% from the floor in 7:18 minutes per game. His impact in the locker room was far bigger than his impact on the court, though, and the young core seemed to really enjoy his veteran experience. The Thunder’s stars brought up Biyombo multiple times during practice interviews and tried to include him in their postgame shenanigans. He seemed to be having real fun in Oklahoma City. Sometimes, towards the end of your career, that’s really all you can ask for.

“It was great,” Biyombo said at the season’s conclusion. “I was just telling coach, as a player, you lose sight of things, being kids. I think it's always a reminder to be kids and be curious and enjoy life a little bit and spend some time with your team.

“We stress a lot on things that we obviously can and cannot control, but I think these guys really reminded me to enjoy life a little bit while playing basketball. It was a great group of young guys, super talented, and focused. They have an incredible level of focus, dedication to their craft that makes it even more enjoyable when you get in a gym with people that really want to work. I love working, so when I'm with people that work as hard as I do, it makes my life even fun.”

At this point in his career, Biyombo doesn’t seem to be expecting big minutes. The Thunder will have to fill out the end of the roster somehow, whether that’s with young, promising talent or veterans that provide experience and a steady hand in the locker room. Considering the youth and inexperience of the team, keeping someone like Biyombo can always be valuable.

If Biyombo wants to stick around in Oklahoma City, there’s no harm keeping him as a veteran leader. He understands the grind of the NBA and will bring a competitive edge in practice. He has also been around plenty of star big men throughout his career and could provide Chet Holmgren with a few nuggets of wisdom down the road.

Want to join the discussion?Like Inside the Thunder on Facebookand follow us on Twitterto stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can alsomeet the teambehind the coverage.