HoopsHype speculates on if OKC will make a final move before next season

The Oklahoma City Thunder endured a significant change recently, with swingman Keyontae Johnson being picked up by the Charlotte Hornets . Johnson, 24, was once seen as a frontrunner for the Thunder's final roster spot entering the 2024–25 NBA season, especially after the franchise renounced his free agent rights in July.

With former Thunder wing Gordon Hayward retiring earlier this month and veteran big man Bismack Biyombo having virtually stepped away from the roster as an unrestricted free agent, Oklahoma City can use a veteran at the end of the bench, which creates a bigger buzz surrounding the team as the offseason wraps up.

The immediate outlook

Recently, HoopsHype penned their opinion on what each team should do with their open roster spots. During the slow days of the offseason and leading up to the next year, this is often a time when teams look to make some potentially key additions to the bottom of the roster. Does Oklahoma City have a move on its radar before the start of the season?

“At some point, roster spots are surely going to become a perennial problem for the Thunder, given that they own about 40 million future picks from other teams. There is no upper limit on future outstanding draft rights, like there is on roster spots. And yet, despite it all, they still have one spot remaining in 2024/25, one which will not be going to Gordon Hayward this time,” HoopsHype writes .

With 14 players already signed to the standard roster, the Thunder have one opening that, if they choose to fill at some point, will go to an experienced player ready to accept a minimum salary. While NBA teams aren’t required to carry 15 players during the regular season, OKC has a track record — a’la signing Biyombo during the 2023 season — of wanting a full 15-man slate.

Especially with no Nikola Topic — OKC’s No. 12 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft — next season, the team may see if they can scoop up a potential contributor at the last minute.

Potential targets for OKC

Numerous potential fits remain on the open market who are ready to play for the minimum. If the Thunder elects to sign someone, that player likely won’t get much playing time, much less a role that can contribute to winning. But for a young team that would only benefit from an experienced locker room voice, here are a few names Oklahoma City should evaluate:

• Ish Smith

Since the Hornets have recently been all over former Thunder players (and even a coach), why not take Smith, who was last seen in Charlotte? The guard is an experienced playmaker with 23 postseason games under his belt. He also won an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023.

• Marcus Morris

As a hard-nosed leader in any locker room, Morris would be an excellent addition. He would get along well with the players and coaching staff and could potentially knock down some shots if he played his way into the lineup before the postseason starts. The forward averaged 11.2 points per game for the Los Angeles Clippers as recently as the 2022 season.

• JaVale McGee

The three-time NBA champion may be the perfect third center behind Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. As a proven interior defender and elite rim protector, McGee can be a good mentor for OKC’s star big men. At 36 years old, OKC may be the place for the former 18th overall pick to secure his fourth title.

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