OKC Thunder Summer League Summary

The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of nine teams participating in Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League. Games have been held on the practice court of the Amway Center, the home of the Orlando Magic. While the results of the games aren’t necessarily vital to the team’s long-term success, they serve as a valuable opportunity for first- and second-year players to prove a commitment to development and show potential, whether with OKC or another NBA team.

Game Summary (Through Wed., July 8)

Game 1 – Saturday, July 4 – OKC vs. Charlotte Hornets

149. 76. 170. Final. 78

Frank Gaines was OKC’s top scorer with 17 points, finishing the game shooting 7-of-13 from the floor (and hit three of his eight 3-point attempts). Semaj Christon contributed 14 points (despite just 4-of-15 shooting), including 6-of-10 free throw attempts.

Mitch McGary played an efficient 25 minutes and added eight points and 13 rebounds. Rookie Dakari Johnson had 11 rebounds and seven points in the win.

Charlotte’s Frank Kaminsky, the ninth overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft, led all scorers with 19 points and showed a deft shooting touch, hitting 4-of-8 from the perimeter.

Game 2 – Monday, July 6 – Orlando Magic (Blue Team) vs. OKC

63. 38. 73. 149. Final

McGary continued to show growth this summer with a strong outing, finishing with 19 points (on 9-of-12 shooting) and three rebounds.

Gaines took a step back and finished with just five points, while Christon had a near triple-double, finishing with 12 points, 9 assists and 9 turnovers. To his credit, a lot of Christon’s passes were mishandled, leading to the high number of miscues. Levi Randolph chipped in 10 points and Talib Zanna added seven points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Orlando’s Aaron Gordon – probably the best player in the tournament – led all scorers with 21 points, showing shooting range and an ability to lead the fast break from the power forward position.

Game 3 – Tuesday, July 7 – OKC vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Final. 63. 149. 80. 77

The Thunder got in a hole early and never found a way to climb out, unable to stop Clippers guard C.J. Wilcox, who led all scorers with 22 points.

Johnson (10 points, 10 rebounds), Christon (10 points) and Gaines (12 points) stood out for the Thunder in their first loss of the tournament. McGary only added seven points and five rebounds but he seemed more interested in finding teammates, showing a playmaking ability that was rarely seen during his rookie year.

Tournament Standings

The Thunder are currently fourth in the overall standings behind Miami and Memphis (both 3-0) and the Magic “White” team (at 2-0). Standings are determined by a point system as per the following:

A team receives four points for winning the game
A team receives one point for every quarter a team wins (in the even of a tied quarter, both teams will receive 0.5 points)
As a result, the winning team in each game can collect between five to eight points, while the losing team can collect from zero to three points.

Upcoming Schedule

Oklahoma City has one more game – scheduled for Thursday, July 9, versus the Grizzlies – to determine fine seeding in the tournament. They will play on Friday, July 10 with their opponent yet to be determined.

News & Notes

McGary has clearly been OKC’s best overall player, using the opportunity to show an improved shooting range. He told me he was “very comfortable” with his outside shot and was taking quality shots from 15-18 feet out. His passing has improved as has his overall leadership, and he’s clearly the most vocal member of the team.

(Courtesy of David Ramil, Thunderous Intentions)

Every player has noted the presence of Kevin Durant, Anthony Morrow and Dion Waiters, who have all taken turns as spectators throughout the tournament. Durant’s attendance has been particularly important, with younger players like Quinn Cook and others noting that it means a lot to have Durant share his wisdom and encouragement.

Gaines clearly has a scorer’s mentality and was a player to watch in the NBA Development League. But his size (generously listed at 6’3″) and inconsistency have hurt his ability to stick with a pro team. Still, the overall effort and ability are there and one hopes it’s just a matter of time before he puts it all together.

Johnson is a smart player despite his rookie status and is a solid rebounder. He shows solid footwork but defenders can limit his low-post moves because of a lack of speed. Considering his lack of playing time at Kentucky, the potential is clearly there. He’s unlikely to make it to the pros at this point but will likely continue working with the team through their D-League affiliate.

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