3. Mike Muscala
Though it's perhaps unfortunate to say considering how beloved he is within the organization and among Thunder faithful, Mike Muscala should by no means be seen as a guarantee to return to the team for the 2024-25 season.
After all, the club has already proven themselves willing to part with his services by trading him mid-season back in 2023 and only signed him to a one-year, minimum deal following his buyout with the Detroit Pistons in early March of this year.
Nevertheless, of all the players mentioned on Marks' list, it's easy to believe that he would be the most likely to remain in tow beyond this year's campaign.
❝It made it just really gratifying to come in every day and go to work.❞
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 17, 2021
End-of-Season Interview with Mike Muscala 🎥 pic.twitter.com/BHdTPTvXK2
Even dating back to his first stint with Oklahoma City that spanned three and a half seasons (2019-2023), Muscala has been an outspoken advocate for and a high-class example of the culture and standards that the franchise tries to live by.
Outside of being a well-documented positive voice to have within the locker room, when found on the court, Moose has also proven to possess several qualities that are beneficial for a title-hopeful team to have within their arsenal, with intangibles ranging from floor-spacing (career 37.3 percent shooter from deep) to sheer size (6-foot-10, 240 pounds).
Still only 32 years old, Muscala likely has a few more years left in the tank where he can effectively serve as an end-of-bench commodity and a morale booster on the sidelines, which, coupled with his particular skill set, could even be enticing enough for the Thunder to re-up with his services for.