Oklahoma City continues to receive great recognition

The Oklahoma City Thunder put together a roster that was one of the youngest in the entire NBA last season, but still competitive. The 15-man roster that made the postseason included only six players who had been in the league for at least three seasons. With not a single player on the roster over the age of 30, these six were considered the team’s oldest players. The other nine players in Oklahoma City are either freshmen or sophomores, but each has made an impact.

Roster building is critical in the NBA because front offices have three primary methods of acquiring talent. From there, consider each player’s price and what they’re worth on the court based on production. The best owners get the most out of each player, making sure they perform at or better than their contract.

ProFitX A data and analytics tool that provides real-time financial and performance insights powered by artificial intelligence. According to their models, five of the six players on the Thunder’s roster outperformed their 2022-23 contracts.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

In the first season of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s five-year, $179.3 million rookie max extension, he legitimately emerged as a star. He finished fifth in MVP voting and was the primary driver of the Thunder winning 40 games and making the postseason.

At just 24 years old, being the face of the franchise and producing on both ends is very difficult. Regardless, that’s exactly what Gilgeous-Alexander did, which is why ProFitX modeled his on-court value at nearly $40 million for the most recent season. It’s always a promising sign if your star franchise is already outperforming contract in a year.

Lu there

This is the first season of an extension for Le Tart, who signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Thunder to be part of the long-term center. It’s a contract with annual increases over five years, but the defensive stalwart was paid $15.27 million this first season.

While he hasn’t blown that number out of the water with his production this season, he shined in the season’s biggest moment. Dart was the most impactful player in the Thunder’s opening postseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring 27 points, including 20 in the first half. He won several games for OKC at defensive end during the regular season, sealing a victory in the closing seconds. If he can keep up the offensive streak, Dart’s deal could be a good one for the team.

Kenrich WilliamsWMB

Unfortunately the 2022-23 season was cut short for Kenrich Williams, who suffered a scapulonate fracture in his left wrist that required surgery. Before that happened, he played at a very high level and did what the team needed. Williams played more than four positions this season, including center, the team’s most successful part of the season when the Thunder went small.

Even then, his on-court production was more than four times what he was paid for just $2 million. Williams is kicking an extension through the 2023-24 campaign as he enters the first season of a four-year, $27.2 million contract. At an average price of just under $7 million per year over the next four years, this is yet another scenario where a Thunder player is already outperforming their long-term contract.

Alexey Boguchevsky

21-year-old Aleksej Boguszewski is another player whose season has been significantly cut short. He was playing the best basketball of his career before suffering a foot injury in December. Although he returned and played a few minutes late in the regular season, he couldn’t work his way back into the rotation.

With 7-foot guard potential and two-way upside, he is eligible for an extension as his initial rookie-level contract expires after next season. So, it will be fascinating to see how much he can earn in his second NBA contract. Even with injuries this season, ProFitX modeled his performance at over $13 million.

Isaiah Joe

While it didn’t seem like a significant signing at the time, Oklahoma City’s acquisition of Isaiah Joe during training camp after he was cut by the Philadelphia 76ers may go down as the biggest free agent acquisition in Thunder history. He signed a three-year minimum contract with OKC and then ended up being one of the best 3-point shooters in the entire NBA last season.

As the season progressed, Joe showed the ability to impact the game outside of perimeter shooting as well. He has defensive upside and can create his own shot off the bounce. At this rate, Joe will get a massive raise in a few years, but in the meantime he’s stealing the Thunder’s contract.

Dario Saric

He wasn’t part of Oklahoma City’s long-term core, but he was a solid piece for the team following his acquisition at the trade deadline for Dario Saric. A roster lacking in height, he came in and immediately fit into the system and helped lay the floor.

Saric is set to become a free agent this summer as he hits the open market. Based on what he did last season, he probably won’t get a contract worth the same value as the last one, but he proved that he can help any team win games with what he brings to the table. Saric is returning to his old self after suffering a torn ACL in the 2021 NBA Finals.

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