Poku's final game for OKC and 2 other takeaways from Thunder's dominant win

Aleksej Pokusevski sighting

Aleksej Pokusevski was the face of the OKC Thunder rebuild for the past three years. He was drafted in 2020 in a move that felt like a swing for the team. 

Pokusevski has been injury-stricken since falling out of the rotation and spending most of his time in the G-League. Pokusevski has only played nine games in the regular season so far. 

In the win versus the Hornets, Pokusevski received a huge ovation from the OKC Thunder crowd. An even louder one ensued when he hit a banked three-pointer in the game's final minutes. 

The now 22-year-old seven-footer finished with four points on 1-of-2 shooting. 

Pokusevski’s expiring contract is a prime asset to be added to any trade package. His chances of being traded before the league’s trade deadline are big. 

If he gets traded before the deadline, the game would be one of his last home games in Oklahoma City - or may already have been the last. Poku getting the pop from the crowd was warranted and earned by the Serbian bigman. 

Pokusevski still has great potential. His archetype—a seven-footer with handles, shooting, and rim resistance—should still be valuable for any team rebuilding. 

Until it happens, however, expect the Thunder to continue pushing Pokusevski to reach the potential once projected for him.