Breakers confirm matchup with Thunder
The New Zealand Breakers will finally get their long-awaited crack at the Oklahoma City Thunder – it now just remains to be seen whether Steven Adams will still be there to be part of it.
As first reported by Stuff on June 1, the Breakers have been handed two games against NBA opponents as part of the Australian NBL’s annual pre-season series against the mega-league, with Adams’ Thunder the headline matchup.
The NBL announced yesterday that the reshaped Breakers will meet the Thunder on October 10, likely to be at their home Chesapeake Energy Arena, preceded by a clash against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on October 8. It is part of a five-game series in total, also including Melbourne United and the Adelaide 36ers.
This is the third year of the official pre-season collaboration between the two leagues. Last year the Breakers met the Phoenix Suns in their first ever game against NBA opposition, and performed credibly in a 91-86 defeat, led by Corey Webster’s 27 points and seven assists.
The Breakers have been chasing a clash against Adams’ Thunder ever since these games became a reality, though there are no guarantees they will face the giant New Zealander who is the only Kiwi playing in the NBA.
Adams is reported to be on the trading block by the Thunder this off-season as they test the market with a view to shedding his salary of US$25,842,697 for 2019-20. He is owed US$53 million over the remaining two years of his US$100m four-year deal which made him the highest paid New Zealand sportsman in history.
Thus far in a busy free-agency period which opened on July 1, there have been no teams reportedly keen to make a play for Adams’ services and the longer he remains untraded, the more likely it is he will remain as part of the OKC lineup for next season.