OKC deals Bazley to Suns for Saric, pick

Darius Bazley, formerly the Thunder’s longest-tenured player, is headed to the Suns, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, an hour before the NBA trade deadline.

In exchange, the Thunder will receive 28-year-old forward Dario Saric and a second-round pick. It’s unclear if Saric, making $9.2 million on an expiring contract, will remain on OKC’s roster.

The Thunder drafted Bazley with the 23rd pick in the 2019 draft. He was on the roster about a month before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, now the only two players remaining from the Thunder’s 2019-20 playoff team.

Bazley was a full-time starter for parts of two seasons (2020-22), making 118 starts in 221 games over the course of his four seasons with the Thunder, but he fell out of the rotation this season as the Thunder’s roster became deeper, and as the team’s offensive style drifted further from Bazley’s comfort zone.

The Thunder traded Bazley rather than letting him reach restricted free agency this summer. OKC was unlikely to re-sign Bazley, so rather than letting him walk for nothing, the Thunder netted a second-round pick.

While Bazley has been an inefficient offensive player, his defense has at times been elite.

At 6-foot-8 and 208 pounds, Bazley was the Thunder’s most versatile defender, truly guarding every position from point guard to center.

In Phoenix, Bazley will reunite with former Thunder teammate Chris Paul, who mentored Bazley for a year in Oklahoma City.

Bazley, in 36 games, is averaging 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.4 minutes.

Saric, a seven-year pro from Croatia, was the 12th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Saric missed the entire 2021-22 season with a torn ACL. He returned this season, averaging 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 37 games for the Suns.

Saric started his career in Philadelphia and he also played for Minnesota.

NATHAN J FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN Oklahoma City Thunder forward Darius Bazley (55) guards San Antonio Spurs forward Zach Collins (23) in the first quarter during a game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Dec. 27.