The Oklahoma City Thunder made noise when the team selected Chet Holmgren with the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and it seems the Gonzaga product will be the most notable new player on the roster following some weeks of free agency.
The Thunder are still rebuilding and building around youngsters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren, so they are not really looking to make big splashes yet. However, OKC made sure to re-sign an important player from the last couple of seasons and will try to improve as those young players also improve. While a relatively quiet free agency, OKC's eyes are looking a bit further than the 2022-23 season.
With that said, here are the grades for the Thunder's most notable free agency moves so far.
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Oklahoma City Thunder 2022 NBA Free Agency Grades
Luguentz Dort's 5-year, $87.5 million deal: A
Since the plan seems to be relying on young talent, OKC made sure to secure one of the central pieces from the last couple of years in Luguentz Dort. The former Arizona State Sun Devil secured a five-year, $87.5 million deal after only making about $3.5 million combined in his first three seasons in the league. Re-signing Dort is probably the most significant deal the Thunder made in this offseason, especially looking toward the future.
Dort has improved every season since he went undrafted in 2019. He averaged 6.8 points per game as a rookie, but his scoring jumped to 17.2 points per game by his third year. In terms of shooting, Dort has only managed to keep it above 40% on one of those seasons.
But by drafting Holmgren, Dort should have less offensive responsibility, which could be beneficial to both sides. He can be a threat when the rookie or Gilgeous-Alexander are not performing well, and his defensive mindset will still be an essential asset every night.
Mike Muscala's veteran's minimum deal: B-
The only other signing the Thunder have made this offseason was bringing back Mike Muscala for the veteran's minimum after declining his team option. The former Bucknell Bison has played in Oklahoma City for the past three seasons, so he probably understands the system, as well as his role as one of the veterans in a locker room full of young blood.
Last year, Muscala put up 8.0 points in only 13.8 minutes per contest before going down with an ankle injury. In limited minutes, the veteran was able to bring an offensive spark off the bench when the stars were resting. He shot 42.9% from beyond the arc, while Gilgeous-Alexander hit a career-worst 30.0% and rookie Josh Giddey made only 26.3%. Muscala is a solid spot-up shooter while the most notable players of the roster are getting the attention from the opponents.
At the end of the day, re-signing Muscala on a minimum deal should not hurt Oklahoma City. He brings more quality 3-point shooting while also bringing back the veteran experience that most of the roster still lacks.
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Overall, it has been a relatively quiet free agency for the Thunder, with the only major signing coming from Dort. Although it does not seem much, Oklahoma City should be developing its young players on the court, so keeping them as the leaders of the team could be the best long-term decision for the front office. It still might take a little while to make a long playoff run, but the Thunder have already secured a number of pieces for that run.
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