3 players the OKC Thunder signed past their prime

The OKC Thunder have been in Bricktown for 15 years, the vast majority of that time, the Oklahoma City faithful have enjoyed the Thunder being legitimate title contenders. While they have yet to capture that elusive first championship, Sam Presti made a lot of moves on the margins to try and get his cores over the hump.

Those moves to improve the roster around the likes of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony also led the OKC Thunder to make some signings for players who were a bit past their prime.

Three players the OKC Thunder have signed past their prime in the past 15 years.

Being in a small market, the Oklahoma City Thunder have not necessarily been active on the free agent market. In fact, their best deal is inking Isaiah Joe to a team-friendly pact just before the 2022-23 season starts. Joe quickly turned into one of the best shooters in the NBA and helped the Thunder dramatically improve their spacing.

With this only being a list of free agents, an honorable mention can go to trading for Carmelo Anthony off the high of bringing in Paul George in the summer of 2017. Even with the power of hindsight, seeing a future Hall of Famer waive his no-trade clause to come to this fly-overstate was well worth the little compensation the Knicks secured.

OKC Thunder ink Derek Fisher to a pact in an attempt to capture a championship

In March of 2012, the Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with long-time and champion point guard Derek Fisher, trading him to Houston, who immediately bought him out. He did not last long on the open market; he came to terms with the OKC Thunder on a remainder-of-the-season deal before he officially cleared waivers.

Fisher played 20 games to wrap up that 2012 campaign, averaging five points, a rebound, and an assist per game while shooting 31 percent from beyond the arc. Following that season, he had a brief stop in Dallas that lasted just nine games before he returned to Oklahoma City to wrap up the 2012-13 season and play out the 2013-14 year with 80 games played.

Derek Fisher played a total of 125 games for the Thunder as the five-time Champion averaged five points, a rebound, an assist, and a steal in the five-game NBA Finals loss to the Miami Heat back in 2012 as he shot 35 percent from distance in that series.

Fisher was a vital member of that 2012 squad, helping them navigate a tough postseason running through the previous year’s Champion Mavericks, battling his former Laker squad, and taking down the mighty Spurs before falling to LeBron James and the Miami Heat, handing the kid from Akron his first ring.

While a valuable member of the OKC Thunder squad, given his leadership skills for “Thunder U,” Fisher was past his prime during the OKC days.

A former Champion could not help get the OKC Thunder over the hump

While trying their hand with another Derek Fisher season, the OKC Thunder also brought in the 2011 Champion with the Dallas Mavericks, Caron Butler.

Similarly to Fisher, Caron Butler signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being bought out by the Milwaukee Bucks on February 27th, by March 1st, Butler was a member of the Thunder. His tenure in Bricktown was much shorter, spanning just 22 games to the tune of nine points, three rebounds, an assist, and 1.4 stocks per game. Butler also shot 40 percent from the floor, 37 percent from three, and 84 percent at the charity stripe.

It can not be denied that Caron Butler had a positive impact on the OKC Thunder, especially in that historic 2014 series that went the distance against the Grizzlies, as Butler averaged eight points, three rebounds, and as many assists. Still, he was past his prime in Oklahoma City.

Caron Butler is easy for the younger generation to forget about. Still, the two-time all-star, all-rookie member, and NBA Champion deserves much more respect than being remembered as a quality veteran on an excellent OKC Thunder team.

Butler averaged over 20 points per game twice and around 15 points per game eight times. He could do a bit of everything on the wing, some playmaking rebounding, and complied 1.5 stocks per game as a career average.

Potentially the worst free-agent contract in OKC Thunder history

While Kyle Singler is the worst contract in OKC Thunder history, it was an extension; Patrick Patterson is the worst free agent signing in team history.

Believe it or not, the Oklahoma City Thunder had high hopes for the former Kentucky big man. When the Thunder signed him in the Summer of 2017, they still played annual Blue and White scrimmages at local high schools where Patterson ripped the nets. Finally! A three-point shooter! Thunder fans rejoiced…then, the second season started.

Before signing in Oklahoma City, Patrick Patterson appeared to be the perfect role player; while he can start in a pinch, his rebounding and floor spacing ability made for the perfect power forward as the NBA was shifting to the modern era.

In his first season in Bricktown, Patterson actually turned in his second-best three-point shooting season, stroking it at a 38 percent clip. According to Synergy, he was a very good defender, only allowing 0.8 points per possession, and was seemingly on the right track. However, there are a few timely misses and what came in year two, and you have an entirely new discourse around Patterson.

Patrick Patterson’s second season as a member of the OKC Thunder was dreadful. Patterson shot the worst percentage of his career from distance (33 percent), was a traffic cone defensively, and just could not seem to positively impact games.

That three-year pact quickly turned into the worst the team has ever signed on the free agent market, leading the Thunder to waive Patterson prior to his third season in Bricktown, eating some dead money in the process.

While Patrick Patterson’s prime was not at an All-Star level like Caron Butler, they expected a lot more out of the power forward.