Assessing OKC's roster options
Deonte Burton's strong play is a good problem to have if you're Thunder general manager Sam Presti. Burton wasn't expected to be a part of the Thunder's rotation, but a combination of roster attrition (Andre Roberson's rehab setbacks, Alex Abrines being waived), an impressive summer league and development in the G League this season has Burton, a two-way player who earned midseason Western Conference All-NBA G League Team honors, on the cusp of a roster spot.
In his first two-month stint with the Thunder, Burton was inconsistent defensively and finishing at the rim. In 37 minutes between two wins against Houston and Portland, however, Burton has showngrowth. He held up defensively against Houston, then scored against contact and from 3-point range against Portland (18 points, 3-of-5 3-pointers). “He's been great,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “The thing I love about Deonte is, he's really coachable, he's a great worker, he wants to learn, and he wants to get better.” The 25-year-old has impressed at the right time. With the trade deadline passed, the Thunder has two open roster spots it can fill. Here are some of OKC's options.
Sign a player to a 10-day contract
The Thunder reportedly will sign Oklahoma City Blue forward Richard Solomon to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Solomon will make the prorated minimum salary over 10 days or three NBA games, whichever is longer. Teams can sign an individual player to two-way contracts twice in a season before the player has to be signed for the remainder for the season, so Solomon could play out the 10-day contract, return to the Blue and be signed for another 10-day contract. Two-way players cannot be signed to 10-day contracts, so Burton would have to sign an NBA contract with the Thunder if his 45 days of service time are exhausted. The Thunder could also look outside the team to sign free agents to 10-day contracts until the postseason.A series of 10-day players can help fill the 13-player minimum roster requirement until the Thunder finds a free agent it's interested in or makes a decision on Burton's status.
Sign Burton
It's unclear how close Burton is to exhausting the 45 days that two-way players are eligible to spend with their NBA team. What's known is Burton has played in 19 Thunder games, not including practicedays with the club. What if Burton is good enough to help the Thunder more in the final 26 games than a veteran free agent signing? He'd certainly be less expensive. The Thunder has a luxury tax bill north of $60 million it's due to pay at season's end. The monetary difference between signing Burton or a free agent on a prorated minimum wouldn't be in consequential, especially since the Thunder saved more than $7 million in taxes and salary by trading seldom-used Timothe LuwawuCabarrot to Chicago. But if OKC is getting minimal difference in production between Burton and a veteran, is it worth bringing in a free agent when the Thunder could just play Burton and get him valuable experience? If the Thunder wanted to have Burton active in the playoffs, it would have to sign him to an NBA contract.
Sign a free agent
Players have until March 1 to be waived and be playoff eligible. If a player is waived after that date, no NBA team can sign that player and have him on the active roster for the postseason. Looking at the free agent market today isn't a complete picture. In the two weeks until March 1, teams may change perspectives on their current rosters and buy players out of their contracts, thus making them free agents. The Thunder and other playoff teams are closely monitoring the situations of not just free agents, but players in the last year of their contracts on non-playoff teams. Some names to watch: Clippers: JaMychal Green (6-9, 227), Garrett Temple (6-6, 195); Hawks: Justin Anderson (6-6, 230), Kent Bazemore (6-5, 201); Grizzlies: Justin Holiday (6-6, 181); Pelicans: Darius Miller (6-8, 225); Suns: Troy Daniels (6-4, 205); Timberwolves: Anthony Tolliver (6-8, 250); Wizards: Wesley Johnson (6-7, 215) And some current free agents to watch: Quincy Acy (6 -7, 240); Darrell Arthur (6-9, 235); Luke Babbit (6-9, 225); Wade Baldwin IV (6-4, 220); Trevor Booker (6-8, 228); Lorenzo Brown (6-5, 189); Markieff Morris (6-10, 245)* *Recently cleared to return from neck injury