10 OKC Thunder players that never logged a single minute for the franchise
By Rylan Stiles
![Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Charlotte Hornets (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Charlotte Hornets (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/5ce59b0960e2039dcd30047e83aa5caf84f8112fc48beb82ef96f6ac11267991.jpg)
#1: KZ Okpala was briefly on the OKC Thunder
KZ Okpala hive stand up! The OKC Thunder had an interesting 2022 NBA Trade Deadline where they grabbed KZ Okpala from the Miami Heat as sort of a move to make a secondary part of the trade legal, allowing the Heat to amend the protections on a future pick owed to the Thunder.
The Stanford product was still an interesting piece for a team that was just looking for warm bodies for the down stretch of the 2022 season, which prompted four days of OKC Thunder fans wondering if Okpala would be a member of the team to see if he could be a diamond in the rough for Presti.
Ultimately, the Oklahoma City Thunder elected to waive KZ Okpala, which set up the ability to ink then-rookie wing Aaron Wiggins to a multi-year deal, converting him from his two-way status.
KZ Okpala has played in 98 NBA games to the tune of two points, almost two rebounds, and half an assist per game, most recently for the Sacramento Kings during the 2022-23 NBA season. Okpala played well in the NBA G-League to earn some NBA chances a year ago.
Thunder legend pic.twitter.com/KqWYkFtzfq
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) February 4, 2023
The Roster turnover from the autumn of 2020 until now. This led the OKC Thunder to the point where they are now with one of the best young cores in the entire NBA. Here is one for the road: Austin Rivers.
Rivers was part of a three-team trade on March 25th, 2021, where the Thunder waived him just three days later, allowing him to ink a ten-day deal with the Denver Nuggets in late April.
Next. The New NBA Rule against Rest does not impact the OKC Thunder, or anyone else. dark