How Thunder’s roster looks ahead of camp
The Thunder will host its annual media day on Monday before training camp opens Tuesday.
As of Sunday night, there were 18 players on the roster, which means one will have to be cut before the regular season starts next month. Teams can have 15 players signed to standard contracts, and two players on two-way contracts for a total of 17.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti said this season is about establishing a baseline.
“We have a group of young players that will compete to figure out who will be here for the long term and who can help us cultivate the next era of Thunder basketball,” Presti said Friday. “I think that's incredibly exciting, but I also think it's necessary.
“There's going to be challenges that come with that. I don't see any reason why we should be shying away from that.”
From Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the top to the two-way players at the bottom, here's a tiered breakdown of the Thunder's 2021-22 roster as things stand.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Position: Guard | Age: 23 Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 180 pounds
Contract: $5.5 million (2021-22), $29.8 million (22-23), $32.1 million (2324), $34.5 million (24-25), $36.9 million (25-26), $39.3 million (26-27)
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder wasted no time in agreeing to a max extension this summer. It was a no-brainer. SGA is a rising star in the league, and the Thunder has hoarded all of those draft picks to find more players like him. Some teams begin a rebuild without a foundation in place. The Thunder has a pillar in Gilgeous-Alexander.
THE STOPPER Luguentz Dort
Position: Guard | Age: 22 Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
Contract: $1.8 million (2021-22), $1.9 million (22-23)
Dort belongs in a category of his own. He's not a building block like GilgeousAlexander, but he's more established than the group below him. Dort's defense is special, and the league has taken notice. He received one first-team All Defense vote last season, and 15 second-team votes. The only guards ahead of him were Ben Simmons and Jrue Holiday (first team), Jimmy Butler and Matisse Thybulle (second team), and Mikal Bridges and Marcus Smart (received votes).
THE HOPEFULS Darius Bazley
Position: Forward | Age: 21 Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 208 pounds
Contract: $2.5 million (2021-22), $4.3 million (team option 22-23)
Bazley's bubble breakout as a rookie didn't carry over to last season. At 21, it's still too early to dismiss his potential, but it's also fair to question Bazley's future with the team. What exactly is he? Bazley has shown flashes of several skills, but he's yet to define his game, and the Thunder hasn't defined his role. Year 3 will be a huge swing season for Bazley.
Theo Maledon
Position: Guard | Age: 20 Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 175 pounds
Contract: $2 million (2021-22), $1.9 million (22-23), $1.9 million (team option 23-24)
Maledon led the Thunder in minutes as a 19-year-old rookie. After coming off the bench in his first 15 games, Maledon became a full-time starter from February on. He's likely to come off the bench this season. It will be interesting to see how Mark Daigneault divides playing time among Maledon, Ty Jerome and rookie Tre Mann.
Aleksej Pokusevski
Position: Forward | Age: 19 Height/weight: 7-foot, 190 pounds Contract: $3.1 million (2021-22), $3.3 million (team option 22-23), $5 million (team option 23-24)
Pokusevski was the youngest player in the NBA last season. It certainly showed. But after returning from a much-needed break in the G League bubble, Pokusevski's confidence soared. His rookie numbers were bad, but with Pokusevski it's all about the upside. And he has a ton of it. A 7-footer who can handle the ball and pass the way he can? And block shots? There's not many of those guys on the planet. Whether he puts it all together is still a huge question.
THE VETERANS Derrick Favors
Position: Center | Age: 30 Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 265 pounds
Contract: $9.7 million (2021-22), $10.2 million (player option 22-23)
Favors, drafted third overall in 2010, is the most experienced player on the roster. The longtime Jazz big man will open training camp with the Thunder, and from all indications he's ready and willing to help the young guys.
Mike Muscala
Position: Center | Age: 30 Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 240 pounds
Contract: $3.5 million (2021-22), $3.5 million (team option 22-23)
Maybe the Thunder could have squeezed a second-round pick out of Muscala at the trade deadline last season, but Muscala didn't want to leave and the Thunder is happy to have him around. Muscala is two weeks older than Favors, making Muscala the oldest player on the roster.
THE ROOKIES Josh Giddey
Position: Guard | Age: 18 Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 205 pounds
Contract: $6 million (2021-22), $6.3 million (22-23), $6.6 million (player option 23-24), $8.4 million (player option 24-25)
The Thunder selected Giddey with the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Most mock drafts had former UConn guard James Bouknight headed to the Thunder at that slot, but Bouknight fell to Charlotte at No. 11. It's not the first time the Thunder has surprised people.
Vit Krejci
Position: Guard | Age: 21 Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 195 pounds
Contract: $925,000 (2021-22), $1.6 million (22-23), $1.8 million (23-24), $2 million (team option 24-25)
Krejci has been a man of mystery since the Thunder drafted him in the second round of the 2020 draft. The Czech guard spent all of last season in Oklahoma City, rehabbing an ACL injury he suffered in Spain. Krejci is on a standard contract, but he's expected to spend most of his time with the G League Blue.
Tre Mann
Position: Guard | Age: 20 Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 178 pounds
Contract: $2.9 million (2021-22), $3 million (22-23), $3.2 million (team option 23-24), $4.9 million (team option 24-25)
The Thunder selected Mann with the 18th pick. After struggling in his freshman season at Florida, Mann shot up the big boards as a sophomore. He averaged 16 points per game and shot 40% from 3-point range. He's most known for his pull-up jumper.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
Position: Forward | Age: 20 Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 242 pounds
Contract: $2 million (2021-22), $2 million (22-23), $1.9 million (23-24), $2 million (team option 24-25)
Robinson-Earl was the third of the Thunder's four draft picks, going off the board at No. 32. The Thunder liked him enough to trade two second-round picks for one to move up and take the big man from Villanova.
THE GLUE GUYS Charlie Brown Jr.
Position: Guard | Age: 24 Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 199 pounds
Contract: $1.7 million (2021-22) Brown joined the Thunder on a 10day contract at the end of last season. He played in Summer League, and he'll begin the season on a non-guaranteed contract. As mentioned, the Thunder has to make one roster cut. Brown is the most likely candidate.
Gabriel Deck
Position: Forward | Age: 26 Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 231 pounds
Contract: $3.7 million (2021-22), $3.5 million (22-23), $3.5 million (team option 23-24)
There was a point in the offseason when Deck was rumored to be returning to Spain. The Argentinian forward previously played for Real Madrid. A new season is here, and Deck is still a member of the Thunder.
Ty Jerome
Position: Guard | Age: 24 Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 195 pounds
Contract: $2.4 million (2021-22), $4.2 million (team option 22-23)
Jerome, acquired from Phoenix in the Chris Paul trade, made a significant jump from his rookie to sophomore season. He averaged 24 minutes per game off the bench and was a knockdown shooter.
Isaiah Roby
Position: Forward | Age: 23 Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 230 pounds
Contract: $1.8 million (2021-22), $1.9 million (team option 22-23)
A foot injury limited Roby to three games as a rookie. As a second-year player last season, Roby was one of the most stable fixtures in the Thunder lineup. He made 34 starts in his 61 games. He averaged 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Kenrich Williams
Position: Forward | Age: 26 Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds
Contract: $2 million (2021-22), $2 million (team option 22-23)
Williams could help any team in the NBA. He's a solid player on both ends of the floor, and his toughness endeared himself to his Thunder coaches and teammates. Williams is another trade candidate given his age and easy-tomove contract.
THE TWO-WAYS Paul Watson
Position: Forward | Age: 26 Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds
Contract: Two-way deal Watson and Williams were both born in December 1994, and they're both listed at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds. Maybe the Thunder can uncover another Williams-like gem in Watson, who played 27 games for the Raptors last season.
Aaron Wiggins
Position: Guard | Age: 22 Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 190 pounds
Contract: Two-way deal Wiggins also could have been listed with the other rookies. The Thunder drafted the former Maryland guard 55th overall this summer.