3 Free agent role players OKC Thunder should consider to fill roster gaps

Clint Capela

Note: Financially this does not make sense, but it doesn’t stop one from dreaming about the possibility

This one is probably the least likely of all the scenarios I’m presenting due to a multitude of reasons. For one, Clint Capela is coming off a season in which he established himself as one of the best centers in the NBA, so his asking price will not be low. And the chances the Thunder throw big money at someone who plays the same position as that of one of their best players in Steven Adams are low. But the upside here is enticing nonetheless.

On the court, having one of Adams and Capela on the court at all times would make their defense basically impenetrable while both have high enough IQ’s offensively to keep everything moving. And off the court, even if the Thunder weren’t able to get Capela to sign, they could force the Rockets to match Capela’s contract and truly cap themselves out.

Even though Capela is the most intriguing free agent available, the financial impact of signing him and the talent OKC would have to give up to do so make his acquisition a near impossibility. If they were to seriously pursue him, they’d probably need to give up Adams and the newly acquired, Dennis Schröder, to even get the cap space to offer him. And after they offer him, who’s to say that the Rockets won’t just match him and leave the Thunder without an elite big man or backup point guard?

Capela is an interesting idea but it would be disastrous for the OKC Thunder to legitimately target him.

Greg Monroe

The Thunder could use someone like Greg Monroe. Their bench unit coming into the season is filled with guys who aren’t very reliable options offensively and, outside of Jerami Grant, they have hardly any front court depth. Monroe fills both of those roles adequately.

He’s always been one of the more polished big-man scorers in the NBA, and has always averaged between 10-16 points per game. He could be a steadying presence on the low-block for an otherwise young Thunder bench. Plus, in the likely event that one of their starting bigs gets injured during the season, Monroe has enough experience in that role to step in and at least be a stopgap solution.

Monroe isn’t the best option in this class or even this list, but if the Thunder were to sign him, it would be a small win for the front office.