OKC Thunder: 2 bargain-bin free agents worth pursuing
By Mark Nilon
OKC Thunder target No. 1) Frank Ntilikina
The OKC Thunder are a team looking to add some backcourt help to have play alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as well as run positionless basketball schemes.
Though not a big-time name by any stretch of the word, Frank Ntilikina could, in fact, be a player who can fill both of these needs for the franchise in one simple signing.
Currently in his fourth season in the NBA, the French-born baller is having himself a quietly productive season with the New York Knicks.
Per-100 possessions, the point guard is finding himself posting 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, three assists, and 2.8 steals on 48 percent shooting from deep whilst continuing to dominate on the defensive side of the ball, as he is boasting a defensive rating of 108 and a defensive box plus-minus of 2.2.
Recently viewed as someone who could ‘blow up’ on another team other than New York, the still young Ntilikina (23) has ample time to continue improving his game, and what better place to do this than in Oklahoma City, where expectations for 2021-22 (at least, at the moment) are minimal and minutes for youthful talents is in high-demand.
With his immaculate defensive abilities and impressive size of 6-6 with a 7-1 wingspan, the Knick’s recently developed 3-and-D guard has the capability to log minutes seemingly anywhere from the one spot all the way down to the three.
Almost certainly an impending free agent that will require a little per-year salary to attain, further developing a guy like Frank Ntilikina could be of great service down the road coming off the bench once the Thunder get back to their desires to legitimately compete on a nightly basis.