Thunder moves to 2-0
Josh Huestis and Dakari Johnson were a tough combination Monday as the Thunder’s summer league team whipped New York 99-87 in Orlando, Fla. The Thunder improved to 2-0 with a noon game Tuesday scheduled against the Charlotte Hornets.
Terrance Ferguson, the Thunder’s first-round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, missed his second consecutive game of the summer league Monday. There’s more to Ferguson’s absence than an unsigned contract.
Unlike other prospects typically entering the NBA, Ferguson, 19, is coming off a season as a professional for the Adelaide 36ers in Australia. Players coming from overseas are required to get a letter of clearance from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in order to play, and Ferguson hasn’t received his yet, a Thunder spokesperson told The Oklahoman on Monday.
There’s no timetable for Ferguson’s clearance, but it could exceed the length of the summer league, which concludes Thursday in Orlando.
Among the eight teams in the Orlando Summer League, only four have played their first-round picks thus far (Indiana forward T.J. Leaf, Orlando forward Johnathan Isaac, Detroit guard Luke Kennard, Miami forward Bam Adebayo). Charlotte guard Malik Monk and New York Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina are injured. Dallas guard Dennis Smith was unsigned as of Monday but is expected to play in Las Vegas on June 8, per the Mavericks.
The 6-foot-7, 184pound Ferguson is currently not with the team in Orlando.
Thunder 2-0 behind Johnson, Huestis
Dakari Johnson sprinted downcourt and immediately sealed off his defender in the post, creating a lane for an easy entry pass and a layup.
Josh Huestis trailed the ball on the fast break waiting to explode. He caught a dump off pass from Vince Hunter and powered home a one-handed dunk, finished off with a flex of his biceps.
Sure, it’s just two games into the Orlando Summer League, but the Johnson and Huestis connection have impressed. Again. Will it translate to Billy Donovan’s squad come training camp?
In the Thunder’s 99-87 win over the Knicks on Monday, Huestis had 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting and 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Johnson added 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
“That’s Billy’s decision,” Thunder summer league coach Mark Daigneault said of Huestis getting more minutes with the Thunder. “He’s done a remarkable job of improving without having many NBA game minutes, but the roster hasn’t totally shaked out.”
With Taj Gibson signing with Minnesota, Domantas Sabonis getting traded to Indiana, and Nick Collison a free agent, the Thunder’s frontcourt depth is suddenly a question.
That’s before factoring in that Collison only played 6 minutes per game last season, Enes Kanter is still a candidate to get traded, and the Thunder is pursuing Rudy Gay as a potential option as a power forward.
It’s not out of the question to think Huestis can find more minutes on the Thunder frontline (he only played 31 NBA minutes last season). But that was the thought going into last season as well.
Then the Thunder brought in Joffrey Lauvergne. Then Jerami Grant.
“They just keep talking to me about developing, on the defensive end being a guy who can do that,” Huestis told NBA TV. “On the offensive end, playing the 3 (small forward).”
Daigneault said Huestis has developed the ability to guard multiple positions. The Thunder started Huestis on Knicks point guard
Chasson Randle on Monday, then he started at power forward in the second half.
The 21-year-old Johnson could be one of the Oklahoma City Blue players eligible for the league’s new two-way contracts, which gives G-League affiliated players up to 45 days with the NBA club.
Johnson, the 2015 second-round pick, is a pure center. Daigneault thinks he has the game on offense to contribute in the NBA right now. Defense is the question.
It’s summer league, but Daigneault said Johnson took a step forward Monday.
“It’s not surprising when he goes out and has big offensive games,” Daigneault said. “Defensively he’s been encouraging. His ability to get to spots early and anticipating what’s going to happen is the biggest hurdle he has to clear in being an NBA rotation player.”
Brown’s bench impact
For summer league players on the fringes, the Thunder will wait until players can evaluate their options with other NBA teams or potentially lucrative offers overseas before factoring them into G-League plans.
If Daigneault has it his way, former Oklahoma State guard Markel Brown will be on the Blue this upcoming season. Brown had 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting (3-of-4 3-pointers) to lead the Thunder’s bench.
Daigneault says Brown compensates for his lack of size with athleticism and understanding concepts on defense.
“I love Markel,” Daigneault said. “Markel is a highly self-aware player for a young player, and he understands how he can leverage his athleticism.”
Quotable
Huestis (on NBA TV) on the Paul George trade: “I had to check three or four times to make sure it was real. Credit to our front office who always seems to be able to pull something out of a hat like that. It was a surprise to the world.”