Why did OKC Thunder general manager fly to Mike Muscala’s house this offseason?
The one question for every OKC Thunder player series makes a pitstop at Muscala’s palace. When I first began thinking of this series, pitching it to our site expert, and thinking through the execution, some of the questions were harder to grab than others. Mike Muscala‘s question was an absolute no brainer.
Have you ever seen that clip from office space that simply states “What would you say you do here?” Yeah, that is what immediately pops into my mind when I see the 28-year-old on the OKC Thunder roster.
That question flatly would be a bit harsh, right? So instead I have spent all offseason wondering…well a lot of things–but I spent the majority of this darkened offseason pondering one thing: Why on earth did Sam Presti feel the need to fly to Minnesota and meet with MIKE MUSCALA?!
Now, at the time, the OKC Thunder still had Russell Westbrook and Paul George and were looking to run it back after a pair of disappointing at best first-round exits. A floor spacer like Mike Muscala, while it could fall into the Patrick Patterson category, still makes sense in theory. However, having an in-home visit with MIKE MUSCALA to ensure that you ink the veteran has never made sense. Why did Sam Presti want to make such an impression on Muscala?
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Did Sam Presti really believe the difference in yet another first-round exit was Mike Muscala? Why didn’t he visit Alec Burks as well? Also, was the enter OKC Thunder franchise falling apart around him and while in the midst of that almost like the “This is fine” dog meme with the house burning down around the mutt, he was having coffee and cupcakes with Mike Muscala just cutting it up? I need this answered in the inevitable tell-all book from Presti after his career is over.
But how can we get that answer sooner? Well, I mean I guess Mike Muscala could shut up this T.I scribe from poking fun at the idea of a general manager in 2019 being so enamored with Mike Muscala that he takes time out of their busy summer schedule to fly to Minnesota to visit with him.
It is also interesting that given the chance to back out after the dramatic shift in OKC’s plans, unlike Alec Burks, Mike Muscala stayed loyal to his original pact. Could that be because he had no other suitors? Probably.
Mike Muscala is not a part of the OKC Thunder future, and honestly the most successful outcome this season for him would be draining 3-balls at a high enough clip to be shipped off for maybe a second-rounder at the deadline.
How do you feel about Mike Muscala heading into the year? Let us know in the comment section below.