A WAIVE OF RELIEF?
Forward plans to sign with Clippers after clearing waivers
What the Patrick Patterson buyout means for the Thunder
Patrick Patterson is the latest player to depart Oklahoma City in a busy offseason for the Thunder.
The Thunder has waived Patterson, the team announced Thursday. Patterson was entering the final season of a three-year, $16.4 million deal with the Thunder. In May, he exercised his $5.7 million player option for the 2019-20 season.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Patterson plans to sign with the Clippers after clearing waivers. He would rejoin former Thunder All-Star Paul George, who requested a trade last month to team up with then-free agent Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles.
Patterson was expected to start at power forward for the Thunder last season, but he lost that spot to Jerami Grant. When OKC signed Markieff Morris during the All-Star break, the newcomer edged Patterson out of the rotation all together.
"Patrick is a competitive guy," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said at exit interviews in April. "He's always been a team guy, and I'm sure deep down in his heart he wanted to be out there a little bit more to help. ... He's always been about the team, Patrick, and I admire that about him."
Patterson averaged 3.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 63 games last season. He started five times and played 13.7 minutes per game.
Neither Morris nor Grant will return to the Thunder next season. Morris signed with
Detroit as a free agent.
As a part of the Thunder's roster overhaul, initiated by George's trade request, OKC traded Grant to Denver for a 2020 first- round pick.
But the Thunder added big man Mike Muscala as a free agent and acquired stretch four Danilo Gallinari as part of the George trade. OKC drafted forward Darius Bazley.
The Thunder was about $4.2 million over the luxury tax threshold before cutting costs by buying out Patterson's contract. Teams must pay guaranteed salary after waiving a player, but they can negotiate that number down in a buyout agreement. Patterson and George both spend their offseasons in Los Angeles. This year, their significant others, Sarah Nasser and Daniela Rajic, teamed up to launch a swimwear company, Nude Swim.