OKC Thunder: What to watch for vs Washington Wizards in Summer League

The OKC Thunder are taking on the Washington Wizards as part of their NBA Summer League Vegas tour. This game will be the fourth Summer League game in Vegas for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the seventh in total, counting Salt Lake City. It feels safe to assume that what started as an extremely promising Summer League roster will look a bit depleted as the OKC Thunder wrap up the final two contests.

I would not expect names such as Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams, or Ousmane Dieng to participate in this contest. I also would be looking for a status on Cason Wallace and Keyontae Johnson’s availability in this Summer League tilt. The best chance of a rostered returner playing against the Washington Wizards is Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. The third-year forward was slated to play in Summer League but did not make his debut until Wednesday due to another ankle injury. It would be a bit odd to bring him off the shelf for just one contest. While it is always possible for the Thunder to surprise us, I would not count on it and be pleasantly surprised if the starting five peak your interest come tip-off.

The OKC Thunder take on the Washington Wizards in their Fifth Vegas Summer League game: What to watch for.

Game Details 

• Date: July 14th
• Time: 3:30 CT
• Broadcast: NBATV

What to Watch for: 

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl looks to bounce back: 

The Oklahoma City Thunder placed third-year guard Tre Mann and forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl on the Summer League roster, which caught the fanbase’s interest. With an overflowing roster, the OKC Thunder will have to waive six standard contract players before the season tips off in October. That puts the underperforming Sophomores on the hot seat in their third season. In his Summer League debut, Robinson-Earl did not have the success that Tre Mann flashed this Summer. Quite the opposite, it was a rough go of it during his return to the hardwood. That is rarely a survivable situation for a third-year player in this setting. Presuming Robinson-Earl suits up again, he will have to take advantage of this opportunity if nothing more than for the optics of this situation.

Bilal Coulibaly getting run with the Washington Wizards: 

The rumors were swirling during the NBA Draft processes around the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they always do, and the one that really caught fire was the team’s love for Bilal Coulibaly. Many guessed they promised to select Coulibaly at 12. Little did we know at the time Coulibaly would be gone by 12, and the Thunder would be selecting in the top 10. After hiring away Will Dawkins, the Wizards grabbed Bilal Coulibaly, even trading up to do so, in the 2023 NBA Draft. How does he look in Summer League? That will be one of the most interesting things to watch in a game otherwise designed for NBA sickos at this stage of the Summer League.

The last impression for two-way hopefuls: 

Even while presumingly shutting down their regulars, the OKC Thunder have a deep Summer League roster. The aforementioned roster crunch does not just impact the standard contracted players and spills into the open two-way slots as the competition for those pacts is fierce.

So the Oklahoma City Thunder and G-League bench boss Kameron Woods who is in charge of the Summer Thunder will get a final look at guys like Caleb McConnell, Jared Butler, Jaden Shackelford, and KJ Williams before training camp. Will any of these players grab one of the two open two-way spots in these final two games?

Check back for game coverage, including a recap and grades from tonight’s contest against the Washington Wizards.