For Ferguson, Paul George’s decision makes for surprise party
I read it on Twitter, Instagram, different people saying it. But I was like, ‘I got to see for myself. If anything’s gonna happen tonight, I need to go to this party. Can’t be late.’ Just in case something cool happened, and it did.”
Terrance Ferguson
Buzz was spreading on social media, but Terrance Ferguson hadn’t heard official word.
So on Saturday night he made his way to the party in Edmond that would prove to be Paul George’s announcement that he was returning to the Thunder, having never truly hit free agency.
“I read it on Twitter, Instagram, different people saying it,” Ferguson said this week. “But I was like, ‘I got to see for myself. If anything’s gonna happen tonight, I need to go to this party. Can’t be late.’ Just in case something cool happened, and it did.”
Ferguson arrived with some Oklahoma City Blue players, including guard PJ
Dozier, to what he hoped was the celebration of George’s commitment to the Thunder. But before arriving he hadn’t heard from George or Russell
Westbrook what the plan was. And even after Ferguson was on site, he had to wait.
“We were just kind of walking around,” Ferguson said. “I think (Westbrook and George) were downstairs. By the time we made it downstairs to say what’s up to them and all that, they were heading upstairs to make the announcement. We didn’t even know (then).”
It wasn’t until George took the stage soon thereafter that Ferguson got confirmation the event’s true purpose. From a level below, he heard George announce his return to fans from a stage.
“The mic was so loud that we heard it,” Ferguson said. “I was was like, ‘Oh s***!’ I heard, ‘I’m here to stay.’ I was like, ‘Is that Russ saying this or PG? That’s PG’s voice.’ It was fun.”
Summer roster released
Ferguson is among 13 players on the Thunder’s Summer League roster, released Thursday, and there’s a chance another could join it.
Joining Ferguson are the Thunder’s two second-round draft picks, Devon Hall and Kevin Hervey. Hall is a 6-foot-5 guard from Virginia. Hervey, a 6-9 forward, played at UT-Arlington.
The Thunder agreed to acquire a third secondround pick, Kentucky guard Hamidou Diallo, in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets. Because it’s part of a larger deal that will send Dwight Howard from Charlotte to Brooklyn, it can’t be completed until Friday, the first day current NBA players can be traded.
Diallo was in Las Vegas on Thursday. It wasn’t clear whether he would join the active roster once the trade goes through.
In addition to Ferguson, the Summer League team features three players who spent time with the Thunder last season. Center Dakari Johnson was on the OKC roster as a rookie, playing in 31 games and starting six.
Dozier and Daniel Hamilton, who split last season between the Thunder and the Oklahoma City Blue of the G League on two way contracts, also are on the roster. Hamilton appeared in six games and Dozier two for the Thunder.
Other players on the Thunder’s summer roster include Phil Pressey, a point guard who last played in the NBA in 2015-16 for the Phoenix Suns and was a collegiate standout at Missouri; Rashawn Thomas, an Oklahoma City native and Southeast High School graduate who played last season with the Blue; and Awudu Abass, a small forward for Olimpia Milano of the Italian LBA.
Rounding out the roster are guards Deonte Burton and forwards Michael Carrera, Justin Leon and Richard Solomon.
The Thunder opens play in the Las Vegas Summer League on Friday with a 4:30 p.m. game against the Charlotte Hornets, which will air on ESPNU.
Mark Daigneault, who coaches the Blue, will coach the summer Thunder.