Three Oklahoma City Thunder players that won’t be returning next season
The Oklahoma City Thunder were surprisingly competitive this season, thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s All-Star performance. As the Thunder try to improve this offseason, these three players are unlikely to return.
However, point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried the team. He averaged 31.4 points, 5.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 block. In addition, he was seventh in the NBA in VORP (5.6). The Thunder ended 40-42 and qualified for the play-in round, trailing only SGA.
The Thunder are now poised to become postseason contenders.
will return next season. With an abundance of draft picks and cap room, the front staff may make significant moves this summer, but with only 15 roster spaces available, some players may not return.
Thunder who will not return next season: 3. Jared Butler.
An NBA team only has 15 roster places. That is a challenging limitation for the franchise, which boasts a large pool of young players with potential.
The squad now has five players who can play point guard (Gilgeous-Alexader, Josh Giddey, Tre Mann, Jalen Williams, and Jared Butler). Additionally, they have three picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. So adding another point guard isn’t out of the question.
SGA, Giddey, and Williams are key components. Mann and Butler are the odd men out. Mann was a first-round pick in 2021, and Butler was on a two-way contract. So Butler is the logical choice.
He performed admirably in his little playing time. In six games, he averaged 6.2 points, 1.3 assists, and 0.8 steals in 12.8 minutes per game, shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 50% from three.
Butler is an NBA talent, but he will struggle to break into Oklahoma City’s deep roster. The restricted free agent may also find a new home this summer.