Free agent forward Patrick Patterson has agreed to a three-year, $16.4 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal includes a third year player-option.
Patterson gets a starting job on a contending team, getting the best possible outcome of a tough marketplace for mid-tier big men.
His ability to switch between the power forward and center spots thanks to his defense added to his appeal, giving him a well-rounded and versatile usage in a Thunder team that just keeps adding pieces to the puzzle this offseason.
Having let forward Taj Gibson walk to another team that has bolstered its depth in the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City now reloads with a three-and-D big man that can take the roster a log way if he keeps a clean bill of health.
Patterson spent his last four seasons with the Toronto Raptors, with his scoring average dipping every season to the 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game he averaged last season.
At 6-foot-9, the Kentucky product presents an attractive package to the modern game, shooting 37.2 percent from deep last season while making a career-high 1.4 trifectas per game.