Handing out a final grade for Oklahoma City Thunder forward Georgios Kalaitzakis’ 2021-22 regular season.
(Editor’s note: We are starting individual grades for all players from the 2021-22 Oklahoma City Thunder. To access other reviews as part of this ongoing series, click here.)
With the 2021-22 regular season now officially in the books, the Oklahoma City Thunder (24-58) finished their season with the fourth-best lottery odds. This means it is now time for individual player grades for all 26 players who suited up for the team this season during the 82 games. The grades will be determined by what the season expectations were for each player and how they lived up to them.
The twenty-first player in the installment is Georgios Kalaitzakis, who played 13 total games his rookie season between the Milwaukee Bucks and Thunder. For this exercise, his four games with the Thunder will be the only ones evaluated.
The Oklahoma City Thunder wrapped up its 2021-22 season by securing the fourth-best lottery odds with a 138-88 blowout loss to the LA Clippers on Sunday.
The Thunder entered the game with its best-case scenario being attaining sole possession of the fourth-best odds due to a Detroit Pistons loss with the worst-case scenario being it ties for the fourth-best odds with the Indiana Pacers.
The Clippers — who were without Paul George, Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris Sr. and Norman Powell — thoroughly dominated this game. There was no funny business this time around as the Clippers led by double digits for almost the entirety of the game.
Meanwhile, the Thunder stuck by its extremely shorthanded rotation by only playing six players with five of them playing over 40 minutes. In all likelihood, most — if not all — of the players who touched the floor this game will not return for the Thunder next season. But give them credit for going out there and playing heavy doses of minutes recently as the team tried to lose as many games as possible to maximize its lottery odds. Let’s take one final look at player grades for the regular-season finale.
Jaylen Hoard and Georgios Kalaitzakis combined for 52 of the team’s 101 points.
Due to winning too many games for the first two-thirds of the regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have put itself in a corner in terms of lottery odds and essentially need to lose these final two games in Los Angeles in order to keep its fourth-best odds spot. The team was able to complete half of that goal with a 120-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers who were missing LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
It looked pretty uncertain if the Thunder were going to be able to lose this game as both teams fought back and forth for the first three quarters of the game. Ultimately, the backup Lakers were able to pull away in the fourth quarter and win by 19 points.
Much like the last few games, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault ran a short rotation of essentially just six players with just five of them playing over 15 minutes. Jaylen Hoard continues to impress and really squeezing every drop of juice out of his current 10-day deal that expires after the regular season ends. Hoard isn’t the only getting his money’s worth though as the Thunder played five of the six players who touched the floor this game at least 43 minutes with four of those five players being 10-day deal guys. Let’s take a look at player grades.
The Thunder essentially won a game playing six guys with three of them on 10-day deals.
The race for the third-best lottery odds is essentially over as the Oklahoma City Thunder mount a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers once again, 98-94.
Things were looking great entering the fourth quarter for the Thunder’s lottery odds. After 36 minutes, the Trail Blazers had an 82-67 lead and were well on their way to a win that would’ve really benefited the Thunder. If the lead held, then that means the Thunder would be just half a game back from the Detroit Pistons currently for the third-best lottery odds. Now, a 26-4 finish to the game that saw the Trail Blazers score just four points in the final 5:41 of the game has Thunder fans focused on keeping its fourth-best lottery odds as the Indiana Pacers are just half a game back.
This win has deflated the fanbase to say the least, with a real shot at getting top-three lottery odds just a couple of weeks ago, the Thunder going 4-3 in its last seven games as ruined any dreams of that happening. The Thunder threw everything at this game to maximize its odds to lose as it only played six guys essentially with three of them currently on 10-day deals. I mean, Lindy Waters III, a two-way player, was pulled after four minutes as he scored eight quick points for Pete’s sake. There was nothing else that the team could’ve done to lose this game and the Thunder have great synergy throughout the organization has really bit them in the butt hard these last couple of seasons in terms of draft lottery odds.
It’s a failure that the Thunder will not be able to get top-three lottery odds for the second straight season during this rebuild and creating a program that brings the best out of its players has proven to be a hinderance when it comes to losing games. Let’s take look at player grades.
The Oklahoma City Thunder announced the 10-day signings of Georgios Kalaitzakis and Zavier Simpson for the remainder of the season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder officially announced the signing of Georgios Kalaitzakis as well as Zavier Simpson to 10-day hardship exception deals on Tuesday. Both players will be on the roster for the remainder of the regular season as there is less than a week left.
Both players were on the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue squad. With the Thunder being shorthanded due to injuries, expect both to get playing time, starting Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers in the final home game of the season.
With the Blue, Kalaitzakis averaged 10.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 31 games while Simpson averaged 12.7 points and 6.2 assists in 47 games.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have reportedly signed Georgios Kalaitzakis to a 10-day hardship exception deal to finish out the regular season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Georgios Kalaitzakis to a 10-day hardship exception deal for the remainder of the regular season, per The Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto.
Kalaitzakis was drafted 60th overall in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft, Kalaitzakis appeared in nine games with the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this season before being waived in early December. The Thunder would then sign the 23-year-old in late December and has been with the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue since.
With just four games left in the regular season, Kalaitzakis will get a chance to play NBA minutes in the final week of the season due to how shorthanded the roster currently is.
Georgios Kalaitzakis has signed a 10-day contract with the Thunder.
Kalaitzakis was the 60th pick in the 2021 draft. He appeared in nine games for the Bucks earlier this season. He was waived, and has since been playing for the OKC Blue.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are reportedly signing Georgios Kalaitzakis for the remainder of the season.
It appears that the Thunder have signed a new player to its roster in the form of Georgios Kalaitzakis, according to Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops.
Kalaitzakis was the 60th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers and would subsequently be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He appeared in nine games with the Bucks this season before being waived on Dec. 3.
Considering the article’s details, it appears that Kalaitzakis will be getting one of the Thunder’s two two-way spots as he is expected to play both for the Thunder and its G League affiliate — the Oklahoma City Blue — for the remainder of the season.
Georgios Kalaitzakis has a deal with the Thunder for the remainder of the seasonhttps://t.co/kkrsqwGOZc
“He is expected to be assigned to Oklahoma’s G-League department, Oklahoma City Blue, but to also get time on the court with the Thunder, especially with COVID-19 protocols plaguing the NBA.”
The Thunder’s current two-way players consist of Aaron Wiggins and Paul Watson Jr. With Wiggins playing great recently and Watson Jr. barely seeing the floor, it appears either Wiggins will be converted to a full-time NBA contract or Watson Jr. will be waived to open up a spot for the 22-year-old.
While college basketball players may capture more fame domestically, international prospects are fundamentally essential to the NBA Draft.
While college basketball players may capture more fame domestically, international prospects are fundamentally essential to the NBA draft.
Based on research conducted by HoopsHype, the average NBA draft over the past four years has featured 9.3 players who played basketball overseas the season prior to their selection. As such, we looked at the top international prospects (plus others worth considering) most likely to hear their names called in the 2020 NBA Draft.
For the sake of consistency in evaluation, American-born prospects who participated in the Australian NBL’s Next Stars program (e.g. LaMelo Ball, RJ Hampton and Terry Armstrong) were not included in this exercise.
Especially with so much uncertainty surrounding the 2020 NBA draft due to the coronavirus, the international class will be fascinating to watch. While it may be harder to evaluate them without a traditional NBA draft combine, some teams may prefer to “punt” on this year and opt for more of a “draft-and-stash” route.
Especially for teams (e.g. New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers) with surplus picks, it would make sense to select a player to own their draft rights with the intention of them playing abroad and continuing to develop.
1. KILLIAN HAYES, RATIOPHARM ULM (GERMANY)
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Killian Hayes is a 6-foot-5 guard who can play on or off the ball and has made a legitimate case for himself as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. The French prospect led the German League in transition scoring (3.3 points per game) at just 18 years old, connecting on more than 84 percent of these attempts. Hayes ranked fifth-best for isolation scoring (2.3 ppg) in the EuroCup, shooting well off the dribble. Meanwhile, his distribution (5.1 assists per game) finished as the third-best during those games. The guard won MVP at the U16 Euro Championship in 2017 and All-Tournament Team at the 2018 U17 World Cup in 2018.
Prediction: Lottery
2. DENI AVDIJA, MACCABI TEL AVIV (ISRAEL)
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Deni Avdija is a 6-foot-8 forward who can be a secondary ball-handler and cutter for an NBA team. His draft stock has been up and down as his minutes were limited in Euroleague and his jump shot was fairly ineffective. But he scored 21 points with eight rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal while also shooting 3-for-6 from beyond the arc at the 2020 Eurobasket qualifiers. The prospect took home MVP honors at the U20 European Championship in 2019.
Prediction: Lottery / First round
3. ABDOULAYE N’DOYE, CHOLET BASKET (FRANCE)
Abdoulaye N’Doye is a 6-foot-7 guard who also boasts an enormous 7-foot-2 wingspan. He has a similar physical profile as NBA forwards like Robert Covington and Trevor Ariza, except he has experience playing on-ball for Cholet. N’Doye shot 44.1 percent from three-point range in the French League last season and 40.0 percent from long distance during the U20 Euro Championships in 2018. N’Doye, who previously tested the waters for the NBA last summer, is a bit older than other prospects on this list as he was automatically eligible this year rather than early entry.
Prediction: Late first / Early second
4. ALEKSEJ POKUSEVSKI, OLYMPIACOS (GREECE)
Aleksej Pokusevski is a 7-foot playmaker who has a similar physical profile to Thon Maker, Kostas Antetokounmpo and Bol Bol. There is less film to study for Pokusevski than other top international prospects because he plays in a low-level Greek league, though he has proven himself to be a solid transition finisher. The prospect put up splits of 14.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 5.8 blocks and two three-pointers per 36 minutes at the U18 European Championships in 2019. His wiry frame is the biggest concern on his way to the NBA, but if he adds size, he is someone who has the potential to be the ultimate sleeper of this class.
Prediction: Late first / Early second
5. LEANDRO BOLMARO, FC BARCELONA (SPAIN)
(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
Leandro Bolmaro is a 6-foot-7 forward who has been skyrocketing on draft boards lately. With a unique blend of size and court vision, he is capable of serving as a secondary playmaker with experience as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets or occasionally when pushing the break in transition. He has played well when the ball is not in his hands, too, shooting efficiently when coming off screens.
Prediction: Late first / Early second
6. THEO MALEDON, ASVEL (FRANCE)
(LUCAS BARIOULET/AFP via Getty Images)
Theo Maledon is a long, skinny point guard who was very solid in the pick-and-roll for ASVEL. The 6-foot-4 prospect has been accurate when shooting jumpers off the dribble, showing that he is able to create his own offense. His most notable accolade thus far was averaging 14.6 points and 3.1 assists per game in the U16 Euro Championships in 2017, leading France to gold.
Prediction: First round
Prediction: Late first / Early second
7. MARKO SIMONOVIC, MEGA (SERBIA)
Marko Simonovic is a 6-foot-10 prospect who was one of the top scorers in the Adriatic League, averaging 16.8 points per game. The 20-year-old prospect added 8.0 rebounds with 1.2 blocks per game in 2019-20. He also averaged 17.3 points while shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range, also adding 3.0 rebounds per game at the U20 European Championship in 2019. He has been especially productive when operating as the roll man out of pick-and-roll sets.
Prediction: Second round / Undrafted
8. YAM MADAR, HAPOEL TEL AVIV (ISRAEL)
Yam Madar is a 6-foot-3 point guard who averaged 13.7 points and 5.3 assists per 36 minutes in the Israeli BSL. He played extraordinarily well for Israel in the U20 European Championship in 2019, securing a gold medal behind 15.9 points and 7.7 assists per game. He looked especially comfortable running a fast-paced offense when pushing the break, recording the most transition assists per game among all participants at the tournament.
Prediction: Second round / Undrafted
9. GEORGIOS KALAITZAKIS, NEVEZIS (LITHUANIA)
Georgios Kalaitzakis was the overall leading scorer at the U20 European Championship in 2019. The 6-foot-8 prospect finished most of his opportunities as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll possessions, ranking among the leaders for assists in a set offense during the tournament.
Prediction: Second round / Undrafted
10. ROKAS JOKUBAITIS, ZALGIRIS (LITHUANIA)
Rokas Jokubaitis has thrived on unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts but has also been able to connect fairly well when shooting off the dribble as well. The 6-foot-4 guard was accurate when finishing possessions as the ball-handler in transition. He is most often used in pick-and-roll sets and when looking only at possessions in a set offense, his distribution also ranked near the best among all participants at the U19 World Cup in 2019.
Prediction: Second / Undrafted
HONORABLE MENTIONS
11. Borisa Simanic, Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)
He is a 6-foot-11 prospect with a 7-foot-3 wingspan who has been incredibly effective on unguarded jump shots off the catch. He has not been as sharp off the bounce but with his length and shooting ability, he projects as a potentially viable spot-up option in the NBA.
12. Paul Eboua, Victoria Libertas Pesaro (Italia)
A versatile scorer who can produce on spot-up and transition opportunities and as the roll man in pick-and-roll sets, he has struggled with efficiency. His frame (6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan) makes him a compelling NBA prospect.
13. Arturs Kurucs, Vig Riga (Latvia)
The younger brother of Brooklyn Nets forward Rodions Kurucs is a 6-foot-3 guard who has been accurate when shooting off the dribble. He ranked among the leaders in total scoring during the U19 World Cup in 2019, averaging 15.6 points per game.
14. Aleksa Radanov, FMP Belgrade (Serbia)
Aleksa Radanov is a 6-foot-7 forward who has operated as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll sets. He has impressed when finishing possessions as the ball handler in a transition offense as well. Radanov is 22 years old and automatically eligible for the 2020 NBA draft.
15) Gytis Masiulis, Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania)
A 6-foot-9 forward from Lithuania who has produced well in pick-and-roll actions as the roll man and on pick-and-pop opportunities. He was one of the most efficient high-volume scorers when he competed in the U20 Euro Championship in 2018, averaging 18.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
