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Oklahoma City Thunder: 25 Best Players To Play For The Thunder

By Phil Watson

May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; General view of t-shirts lining the seats before the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; General view of t-shirts lining the seats before the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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SEATTLE, UNITED STATES: Seattle Supersonics Vin Baker (R-C) makes a spin move on Los Angeles Clippers Elton Brand (L-C) during first quarter play of their game in Seattle, 08 April 2002. (DAN LEVINE/AFP/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES: Seattle Supersonics Vin Baker (R-C) makes a spin move on Los Angeles Clippers Elton Brand (L-C) during first quarter play of their game in Seattle, 08 April 2002. (DAN LEVINE/AFP/Getty Images) /

player. 149. Trade, Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers, Sept. 25, 1997.. C-PF. 1997-2002. Vin Baker. 23

Vin Baker was a three-time All-Star when the Seattle SuperSonics acquired him in a three-team deal in September 1997 from the Milwaukee Bucks. As part of the deal, Shawn Kemp was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Baker was an All-Star and All-NBA selection again in 1997-98, when he was fifth in the league in field-goal percentage.

Injured the following season, his play declined rapidly, something he later attributed to binge drinking.

The Sonics pulled the plug in July 2002, trading Baker along with Shammond Williams to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Kenny Anderson, Vitaly Potapenko and Joseph Forte.

In five seasons in Seattle, Baker averaged 15.5 points and 6.9 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game, shooting .477/.119/.632. He does not appear on any of the franchise’s all-time leaderboards.

Baker emerged as a top prospect after averaging 28.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game as a senior at Hartford.

Taken eighth overall by the Bucks in the 1993 NBA Draft, Baker was an All-NBA player in 1996-97 for Milwaukee.

Later in his career, he was released by the Celtics in February 2004 and signed a month later with the New York Knicks.

In February 2005, he was traded to the Houston Rockets, who waived him in October 2005.

Baker signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in February 2006 and signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in October 2006.

Waived in November of that year without playing in a game, Baker never played in the NBA again.

Next: All-Star As A Player-Coach

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