NBA Free Agency: Grading all 30 teams on signings and trades

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2021 NBA Free Agency Grades: Oklahoma City Thunder

Key Additions: Derrick Favors (trade); Mike Muscala 2-yr, $7 million)

Brought Back: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (5-yr, $172 million extension)

Key Departures: Al Horford (trade to Boston); Tony Bradley (Chicago)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are, as things currently stand, the only team with significant cap space remaining. What makes that interesting is they are unlikely to touch it, instead operating as an “over the cap” team to keep its trade exceptions in place.

The Thunder are fully embracing their rebuild, and GM Sam Presti continues to execute trade after trade where he leverages the Thunder’s roster spots and team salary to take money off of the hands of other teams; for a fee, of course.

That continued this offseason, as the Thunder picked up a mid-first round pick to take on extra money on Kemba Walker’s contract, and later got another first to take the contract of Derrick Favors. They will continue this cycle for the foreseeable future, a never-ending asset play.

Arguably the biggest move of their offseason was the extension Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed to stay in Oklahoma City long-term, or at least have a guaranteed max contract wherever he goes. He is a franchise cornerstone worth building around, and there will be no questions about his future now.

Grade: B

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