The Oklahoma City Thunder earned the best regular-season record in the Western Conference and have continued to develop. Their young talent continues to improve, and OKC added two key components to help them advance to the next level. Sam Presti completed probably the best move of the summer, adding talent to an already elite roster.
The Thunder signed Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, with the goal of long-term talent retention. They still have an open roster position but aren’t in a haste to fill it. Oklahoma City wants the additional flexibility in case a move becomes available during the season.
Several former players are still seeking work. This offseason, Gordon Hayward and Mike Muscala announced their retirements and will embark on new chapters. These players are looking for new teams, but have been unsuccessful thus far.
Aleksej Pokusevski
The Thunder traded up to select Poku in 2020. Sam Presti and the front staff were excited about his enormous potential. OKC prefers players who can dribble, pass, and shoot. Finding seven-foot-tall choices is difficult, and Poku left the Thunder daydreaming about what may be.
He never reached his ceiling. Pokusevski’s small stature left him without a position, and there were struggles on both ends of the floor. With him on the court, the Thunder’s offense struggled, and his defense was insufficient to compensate. Oklahoma City waived him before the completion of his rookie contract.
Poku concluded last season with the Charlotte Hornets but is still unsigned. He is only 22 years old and has opportunity to grow, but NBA teams are doubting his ceiling at this point. Poku was ranked as a replacement level option by VORP last season, and there are no signs of a significant upgrade.
He is not the only former player that is still on the free agent market in August.
Davis Bertans
The Thunder wanted to move up to choose Carson Wallace in 2023, and they found a partner in the Mavericks. Moving up two slots required accepting Bertans’ deal, but it was a modest price to pay for a roster stacked with young potential.
The 6’10 forward appeared in 15 games for Oklahoma City, totaling 91 minutes before being moved to Charlotte at the deadline. Bertans was an important matching salary in the Gordon Hayward deal. The Thunder were devastated by the transaction, and Charlotte released Bertans at the end of the season.
The 31-year-old is an excellent three-point shooter but provides little else. Across eight NBA seasons, he has made 39.6 percent of his 2,234 long-range shots. Bertans can shoot from well beyond the arc, but he suffers on defense and cannot put the ball on the floor.
Davis Bertans may have to return overseas to end his career. He spent his first five professional seasons in Europe, and the Latvian Laser is even more dangerous with its shorter three-point line.
He would love to find another NBA opportunity, but so far nothing has come up. Bertans is still looking, and fans should expect to see him on the court sometime in the 2024-25 season.
Danilo Gallinari
Galo was an absolute bucket in his heyday. In the four years before moving to Oklahoma City, he averaged 18.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 32.7 minutes per game. Gallinari shot 39.2 percent from three-point shooting, and his performance contributed to Paul George’s return.
The 31-year-old continued to score and played an important role on a Thunder team that unexpectedly advanced to the playoffs in 2020. Chris Paul was the team’s leader, but the top three scorers were Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dennis Schroder, and Gallinari.
Oklahoma City decided to rebuild in the next offseason. They shipped out several pieces, including Gallinari, who left for Atlanta via a sign-and-trade.
Gallinari’s NBA career may be gone. His performance deteriorated before he missed the entire 2022-23 season rehabbing from a ruptured ACL. Galo returned last season but struggled with three different teams, including the Bucks at the end of the year.
The 36-year-old might have reached the end of the line. He has not announced his retirement, but there has been no news of him joining a team. The future remains unknown, and the Oklahoma City Thunder appear to have gotten the final year of Danilo Gallinari’s prime.
Bismack Biyombo
Throughout his 13-year NBA career, the seasoned big man has represented six different teams. Biyombo has largely served as a backup option, capable of defending the rim, smashing the glass, and finishing inside. There’s nothing showy about his game.
It appeared that he might not participate last season. The Grizzlies signed him after the regular season began to replace Steven Adams. Despite a lost season in Memphis, Biyombo averaged 5.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 23.9 minutes per game. As the Grizzlies slid out of contention, they opted to move on.
Oklahoma City needed rebounding and size on the inside, so they signed Bismack Biyombo. The veteran played in just eleven games and accumulated 73 regular season minutes. He did not play in the playoffs, and it was evident that it was not a good fit.
The 31-year-old still has gas in the tank, but no team wants to sign him. Will he find housing before training camp? Biyombo may have to settle with a midseason signing for the second year in a row.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are better off leaving their final roster available than adding any of these past players. There are reasons why things aren’t working out, and Sam Presti should focus on maximizing the franchise’s talent rather than bringing back someone who previously played in OKC.
