NBA
OKC Thunder tracker in NBA free agency 2024: Latest news and updates
OKC Thunder coach Mark Daigneault talks about Alex Caruso joining team
OKC Thunder coach Mark Daigneault talks about Alex Caruso joining team in trade with Bulls after news conference for NBA Draft picks on June 29, 2024.
Not even 24 hours into NBA free agency, and Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti is making quite the impact.
It’s been a busy Monday as the Thunder is reportedly bringing back key role players Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins on new contracts, while also making arguably the biggest free-agent signing in team history with former New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein.
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The added some interior help Monday, July 1, reportedly agreeing to a three-year, $87-million contract with Knicks free-agent center Isaiah Hartenstein.
OKC likely remains committed to Chet Holmgren as its primary center. Holmgren and Hartenstein will obviously share the floor at times — but the Thunder spend didn’t up $30 million/year just for Hartenstein to play the minutes Holmgren sits — but it’s about matchup versatility than anything else.
And yes: iHart isn’t a five-out big. But he’s a notable 4-out-1 in big with his screen setting and playmaking. All it tells me is that Presti isn’t married to the 5-out thing, he’d rather have possibilities. I imagine it’ll be a lot of dribble handoff/pick-and-roll, post hub stuff when iHart is in.
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The Thunder reportedly declined teams options for reserve guards Isaiah Joe ($2.1 million) and Aaron Wiggins ($2 million) over the weekend with the intention to bring them back on longer deals.
That happened on Monday, July 1.
Joe is reportedly returning to OKC on a four-year, $48-million contact; while Wiggins reportedly agreed to a five-year, $47-million contract.