OKC Thunder 23rd draft selection Darius Bazley makes it official inking his rookie contract. This should clear the way to him playing in Vegas at Summer League.
Every season it seems the OKC Thunder Summer League roster is put on hold while they await deals to be signed. Last season it was Hamidou Diallo and this year it was Darius Bazley. In both cases, the reason for the hold up was tied to the picks being linked to trades.
Unlike Diallo, who was acquired in a straight up trade Bazley was landed by virtue of pick swap. Nonetheless, his selection fell into the “trade” category and subsequently couldn’t be processed until July 6th.
Today the team and rookie got news the league had processed the paperwork. Whether this equates to Bazley being able to play in tomorrow’s Summer League game versus isn’t certain. However, Thunder Nation should expect him in the lineup at some point in Vegas.
As per Chris Crouse of Hoops Rumors, the presumption is Bazley will earn $2.3 million based on the typical 120 percent rookie scale most teams offer their rookies.
"The Thunder have signed Darius Bazley to his rookie-scale contract, according to the NBA.com transaction log. Assuming he makes 120% of the rookie scale, Bazley will take home approximately $2.3MM during the 2019/20 campaign, as our Rookie-Scale Salarypost shows."
Having elected to take an internship at New Balance this past year there is uncertainty where the youngster’s game compares to his peers. Despite not playing “competitive” ball in a College program Bazley did his work to continue his growth.
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Daily workouts and working with a nutritionist on his diet were among the steps Bazley took and getting on the floor with peers as much as possible.
Still, the fanbase is excited to see precisely what the OKC Thunder have in this youngster and precisely how much work lies ahead. He might be one of those rare prospects who naturally ascends and adapts quickly. More likely, he’ll require time in the G-League to hone his skills.
Given the past few days, however, there is an equal chance the team may utilize him in their varsity lineup to expedite his transition into the league. Much depends on what the OKC Thunder brain trust decides to do in the wake of Paul George‘s exit.
Moreover, if the meeting between Westbrook and Presti resulted in an agreement to look for trades of their superstar then Bazley will most definitely end up on the varsity squad. If that’s the case it’s a matter of a good timing for Bazley.