The OKC Thunder relocated from Seattle to Bricktown in 2008. Since then, the franchise has been not only one of the most successful in the NBA but in sports, period, based on winning percentage. Making numerous trips to the Western Conference Finals, one run to the NBA Finals, and watching countless Hall of Famers grace the hardwood in Oklahoma City. Through all of that, their Free Agency track record has been lackluster.
For most of the Thunder’s team in Oklahoma City, the city itself was practically in its infancy stages in terms of infrastructure. Then, things boomed. Despite what the national media wants you to believe, OKC is a really happening place to be! (Do the kids still say that?) No, seriously, it is like an actual city!
The OKC Thunder do not have a strong free agent track record, but who are the three best signings in the history of the Thunder?
As always, when you make these sorts of lists, people are going to get upset. “What about player x?!” I can already hear you yelling at your device right now, so let’s get some notes and clarifications out of the way.
I am not counting Paul George; he would obviously take the cake for the best free agent signing. However, I make the rules here as Editor-In-Chief and do not think PG13 fits the spirit of the rules.
Sure, he was technically a free agent that elected to re-sign with the franchise, but the Thunder had an entire year to immerse him in their culture. While that night was a historical event and house party in Bricktown, it just does not feel right compared to an actual Free Agent signing.
In my opinion, every other signing is on the table; buyout guys, summer additions in Free Agency, and Undrafted players all count. So without further ado, let’s get into the three best Free Agent signings in OKC Thunder history.
The OKC Thunder picked up a Champion, Derek Fisher, to try to push the young core over the edge.
In 2012, the Oklahoma City Thunder inked Derek Fisher to a one-year, 1.39 million dollar deal, a buyout signing that was another step in legitimizing the organization. He provided valuable minutes, leadership, and pedigree, to a young OKC Thunder roster that was ready to make some noise.
Fisher eventually spent three seasons in Oklahoma City, tallying 125 games with the Thunder on his way to 17 minutes, five points, a rebound, an assist, and nearly a steal per contest. During his time in Bricktown, the former Laker turned in 37 percent from the floor and beyond the arc.
In the 2012 playoffs, en route to an NBA Finals appearance, Derek Fisher appeared in 20 games, 22 minutes per game, averaging six points, a rebound, an assist, and a steal per contest. During that span, Fisher shot 37 percent from beyond the arc on two attempts per game.
His best game came in a six-point win against the reigning Champion Dallas Mavericks, putting up 12 points, three rebounds, an assist, and a block while going 2-for-2 from three-point land in 29 minutes of action.
Derek Fisher seemed to steady the waters for a young team, a relatively young coaching staff, and a core on the cusp of greatness. Ultimately, the Thunder never won a championship with that group and are still chasing their first in Bricktown with the next generation. However, Fisher played a key and underrated part in that initial run.
The OKC Thunder grabbed Isaiah Joe just before the 2022-23 season started, and he helped lift them to a 40-win season.
The story of Isaiah Joe is an interesting one. A former second-round pick to the 76ers, who many on draft night thought was a steal for Philly, found himself on the open market just days before the start of the 2022-23 NBA season. Rewind to July of 2022, and the OKC Thunder poached one of the 76ers’ top executives, Vince Rozman, in a deal that helped the organization’s scouting department.
With his prior 76er ties, Rozman is believed to be one of the catalysts for why the Oklahoma City Thunder picked up Isaiah Joe just before opening night. Joe inked a “Presti Special,” a multi-year deal in name only. The three-year contract has a non-guaranteed deal. With how Isaiah Joe played a year ago, this looks like one of the best bargains in the NBA.
For the OKC Thunder, Isaiah Joe posted nine points, two rebounds, and an assist per game while swiping nearly a steal per night. Joe lit it up from beyond the arc, shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc, including 48 percent in the corners and 40 percent above the break. While the perimeter is the bread and butter of his game, Joe shot 49 percent in the mid-range and 70 percent at the rim. On catch-and-shoot looks, Joe hit at a jaw-dropping 42 percent clip.
This season, according to Synergy, Joe ranks in the 82nd percentile in overall offense (1.098 points per possession), 90th percentile in the half-court setting (1.123 points per possession), 94th percentile on hand-offs, 98th percentile coming off screens, and actually thrived on both ends of the pick-and-roll (90th percentile as a handler, 88th percentile as a roll/pop partner).
Even defensively, despite his size limitations, Joe plays bigger than he is. Ranking in the 76th percentile in overall defense, 85th percentile in defending the pick-and-roll, and even in the 62nd percentile in defending isolation attempts.
The Oklahoma City Thunder desperately need shooting, and we see how the game opens up for their young core when you surround guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey with shooting,
The OKC Thunder signed Lu Dort as an undrafted free agent from the 2019 NBA Draft, and his impact has been felt.
What a rookie season Lu Dort dealt with. Starting on a two-way deal, not making his NBA debut until December 6th against Minnesota, where he earned seven minutes. He earned 19, 29, 12, and 12 minutes before another DNP stretch. Dort became a mainstay in the NBA in the middle of January.
As a rookie, Dort could not practice with the NBA squad due to the rules of the two-way contract at that time. He had to learn on the fly and from a screen (a common practice nowadays in the real world) and quickly carved out a role that led him to be one of the team’s most impactful defenders. While riding high and helping push the Thunder to a showdown for the 4th seed against Utah, the NBA (and world!) shut down.
You know the rest; from there, the bubble happened where Lu Dort frustrated James Harden and dropped 30 points in game seven against the Houston Rockets and forever etched his name in the hearts of Thunder fans. That defensive prowess only grew to the point Damian Lillard and other NBA stars tab him as the best defender in the league.
It also earned the former undrafted guard a five-year deal worth 82.5 million dollars. The 24-year-old has only started the game on the bench once since his rookie year and is credited for bringing the intensity for the Thunder night in and night out.
It is undeniable the impact of Lu Dort on the OKC Thunder, and for a team without a robust free agent list, Dort tops it.