Tag: HoopsHype

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranked as 2nd-best point guard in NBA for 2024-25 season

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranked as 2nd-best point guard in NBA for 2024-25 season.

After back-to-back top-five MVP finishes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has entered the upper echelon of players in the league. This should make his ranking among the top point guards not surprising.

As the offseason enters its dog days, HoopsHype decided to rank the top 30 players in each of the five positions. First up were point guards.

Gilgeous-Alexander was ranked as the No. 2 point guard heading into the 2024-25 season. Luka Doncic ranks ahead at the No. 1 spot.

“Doncic finished third in the MVP vote last season, as stated above. The player who finished second in that very same vote? That was Canadian superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just had the best season of his career, putting up 30.1 points per game along with 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.0 steals per contest on absurdly efficient 53.5 percent shooting from the floor…

Gilgeous-Alexander finished second league-wide in WS/48 last season and with the way his game has progressed over recent seasons – and with how talented this current Thunder team is – he’s another player who could very well be in line for his first career MVP award in 2024-25.”

At 26 years old, expect Gilgeous-Alexander to be a mainstay in these conversations. He’s one of the best players in the league and headlines the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Through two games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranked as one of best players of 2024 Olympics

Through two games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranked as one of best players of 2024 Olympics.

Last summer, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke out on the international scene. The 26-year-old led Canada to its best finish in program history with a bronze medal in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Over the last two seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has ascended into one of the best players in the league. He’s had back-to-back top-five MVP finishes, including runner-up last season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have graduated to a title contender and Gilgeous-Alexander is the largest reason for that. It shouldn’t be a shocker to see him be one of the best players in the infancy stages of the 2024 Olympics.

Canada is 2-0 in group play with wins over Greece and Australia. Barring a disaster, it will advance to the knockout stage of the international tournament.

Through two games, Gilgeous-Alexander is measured as the second-best player of the 2024 Olympics with a 33.13 Global Rating, per HoopsHype. He’s ranked behind Canadian teammate RJ Barrett.

Fellow Thunder teammate Lu Dort is ranked the No. 22 player with a 16.18 Global Rating.

Global Rating is a tell-all stat that measures how impactful a player is with a rating. A full explanation of the formula can be read here.

The eye test also aligns with it. Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player on arguably the second-best squad of the 2024 Olympics. Canada has a shot at making serious noise.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranked as 3rd-best player of 2023-24 season

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranked as 3rd-best player of 2023-24 season.

The 2023-24 NBA season capped off with the Boston Celtics capturing their 18th championship. Now that the season is officially over, HoopsHype elected to rank the top 100 players in the league this past season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had four entrants among the 100 players. This shouldn’t be a shocker as they were one of the best teams in this league this past season.

OKC made history as the youngest first seed ever and made it to the second round. It lost to the Dallas Mavericks, who eventually went to the NBA Finals,  in a close second-round series.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was listed as the third-best player this past season. He finished behind Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. This is a surprising result considering the 25-year-old was the MVP runner-up.

HoopsHype wrote that Gilgeous-Alexander established himself as one of the best players this season. He had back-to-back All-NBA First Team honors now.

“As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander developed as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, many wondered just how high his ceiling might be and whether or not he could reach that MVP-level strata of NBA greats. The Canadian superstar answered those questions resoundingly this year, finishing second in the 2023-24 MVP vote, even receiving 15 first-place votes in the process, as he led the Thunder to the No. 1 seed in the West with a 57-25 record and to the second round of the playoffs. The former Kentucky standout ranked Top 5 this season in VORP, BPM, WS/48 and Global Rating, finishing as high as No. 2 overall in WS/48.”

The Thunder are set for the future. This was their first of likely many playoff runs headlined by Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s in his prime and will be one of the best players for the foreseeable future.

“There’s no question they’re way ahead of schedule and should be a force in the West for years to come.

Sure, that has been said about teams before who ultimately weren’t able to take that next step, but with Gilgeous-Alexander, a proven MVP-level player, leading the way, this Thunder team should be different than the promising teams of yesteryear.”

The Thunder smashed open a championship window this past season and Gilgeous-Alexander’s improbable ascension is the main reason.

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Report: G League Ignite’s Tyler Smith conducted predraft workout with Thunder

Report: G League Ignite’s Tyler Smith conducted predraft workout with Thunder.

The calendar has flipped to June, which means NBA teams are intensifying their predraft process and hosting players for workouts and visits. The 2024 NBA draft will take place from June 26-27.

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter this year’s class with a sole draft pick of the No. 12 selection. OKC was gifted the free lottery pick via the Houston Rockets.

The Thunder will host several meetings with draft prospects in the coming weeks. This includes players outside the lottery range as OKC will likely seek to add undrafted free agents or even buy back into the second round if it likes someone enough.

One possibility is G League Ignite forward Tyler Smith. He reportedly had a predraft workout with the Thunder, per HoopsHype. The 19-year-old was part of the last Ignite squad before the program was discontinued this past season.

In 43 games, Smith averaged 13.7 points on 47.4% shooting, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He shot 36% from 3 on 3.7 attempts. At 6-foot-11, 224 pounds, he has the ideal size to be a wing and small center tweener.

If the Thunder like him enough, he’ll likely be available at the 12th spot. It’ll be a bit of a reach but that’s around the range Smith will go. He’s seen as a project with great tools. He also spent time with the Overtime Elite program before he joined the G League.

A full list of 2024 NBA draft prospects that have worked out or visited the Thunder in the predraft process can be viewed here.

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NBA draft history: How likely are Thunder to land a star at No. 12 overall?

NBA draft history: How likely are Thunder to land a star at No. 12 overall?

The 2024 NBA draft is less than a month away, which means the Oklahoma City Thunder will soon add another lottery talent to their young core at the No. 12 pick via the Houston Rockets.

Even though the 2024 class is viewed as one of the weaker ones in recent history by most within the industry, Thunder general manager Sam Presti admitted he’s a fan of this year’s draft.

The top of the 2024 draft might be considered light but every draft class has its star players. It’s about finding them. OKC has done an excellent job at this — with Jalen Williams, who ironically enough was the 12th selection in 2022, being its latest example.

HoopsHype analyzed the historical rate of landing stars in all 30 slots of the NBA draft’s first round. Here are the best odds that the Thunder will land another All-Star caliber player in this year’s class:

  • MVP: 1.43 percent
  • Finals MVP: 1.43 percent
  • All-NBA 1st Team: 1.43 percent
  • All-NBA Team: 5.71 percent
  • All-Star: 12.86 percent
  • All-Defensive: 2.86 percent
  • Defensive Player of the Year: 0.00 percent
  • NBA champion: 17.14 percent

The Thunder have had success at the No. 12 slot. Outside of Williams, they also drafted Steven Adams and Nick Collison in that position. Both were successes in their own rights.

If OKC lands a borderline starter or role player, that’ll be a massive hit. The Thunder already have a star trio carved out in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Williams. It’s now about filling out the rest of the roster with quality role players.

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HoopsHype: OKC Thunder could be in market for veteran center

HoopsHype: OKC Thunder could be in market for veteran center.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the offseason with $35 million in cap space to toy with. It’s an unprecedented situation as the youngest first seed in league history will have ample opportunities to upgrade its roster.

An area of weakness is the backup big spot. Outside of Chet Holmgrem, OKC doesn’t have a traditional center on its roster for next season. Because of this, the Thunder are viewed as a contender to sign several established centers this offseason.

According to HoopsHype NBA insider Michael Scotto, the Thunder could be in the market for marquee names at the backup center spot who could pair with Holmgren.

“Rival executives are monitoring the Thunder as a potential team in the free-agent center market this summer, with several names available, such as Nic Claxton – who can potentially command over $20 million on the market, as noted by HoopsHype – Isaiah Hartenstein and Jonas Valanciunas, who’s not expected to return to New Orleans, as previously reported by HoopsHype.”

All three are interesting names. Claxton can be an athletic lob threat for the Thunder. He was discussed as a potential trade option during the trade deadline.

Valanciunas is a rebounding machine and can fix OKC’s woes on the boards almost by himself. He might be a problem in the playoffs, but there’s value in his regular-season performance.

Hartenstein will likely command a large payday after a breakout season with the New York Knicks. Odds are, his current squad would like to keep his services. If not, several teams would be interested in him as their starting center — something OKC can’t provide.

All three players are attractive pieces that can improve the Thunder’s roster on paper. Considering the salary they’ll command, they’re likely not options for OKC.

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2024 NBA draft: Who’s most likely to go to OKC Thunder at No. 12 pick?

2024 NBA draft: Who’s most likely to go to OKC Thunder at No. 12 pick?

The 2024 NBA draft is roughly a month away, which means the Oklahoma City Thunder will soon have a chance to add a lottery talent to their young core.

The Thunder are fresh off a second round playoff exit. OKC made history this season by being the youngest top seed and youngest squad (average roster age) to win a playoff series.

Thanks to the Houston Rockets, the Thunder will get to add a free lottery pick to this stacked group. HoopsHype’s draft predictor, a tool that factors mock drafts and predraft workouts, generates the probability of every player’s likely landing spot.

At the No. 12 slot, it lists five players who have the highest odds of landing with the Thunder:

  • Colorado forward Cody Williams has a 32.7% chance
  • France forward Tidjane Salaun has a 20.1% chance
  • Tennessee forward Dalton Knecht has a 18.9% chance
  • G League Ignite forward Ron Holland has a 9.4% chance
  • Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter has a 5.5% chance

This group sounds about right. These five players have been the most frequently mocked to the Thunder at the 12th selection since the lottery ended.

The 2024 NBA draft is set to take place from June 26-27. The No. 12 pick is OKC’s lone selection so far. Of course, it can always make trades to change that if it chooses.

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Report: OKC Thunder reworks Davis Bertans’ remaining contract

Report: OKC Thunder reworks Davis Bertans’ remaining contract.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have reportedly reworked veteran wing Davis Bertans’ contract, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

The Thunder and Bertans agreed to remove his 2024-25 clause that would’ve guaranteed $16 million next season if he played 75% of regular-season games this season.

If he didn’t meet this threshold, then his guaranteed salary for next season — which would’ve been an early termination option — would’ve been just $5 million.

Instead, with the clause removed, Bertans will be guaranteed $5.25 million next season in the final year of his current deal. He is owed $17 million this season.

This means that the Thunder no longer have to keep an eye on which games the 31-year-old sharpshooter can play. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault will presumably be able to play him as often as he likes without being concerned about passing 62 games.

The Thunder acquired Bertans from the Dallas Mavericks this past offseason in a trade that also landed them the No. 10 pick, which turned out to be Cason Wallace. In return, OKC sent Dallas its No. 12 pick, which materialized to Dereck Lively II.

In five games this season, Bertans is averaging 3.4 points on 23.1% shooting. He is shooting 3-of-12 from 3.

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‘They can get anyone they want’: NBA exec believes OKC Thunder can make win-now moves

‘They can get anyone they want’: NBA exec believes OKC Thunder can make win-now moves.

The Oklahoma City Thunder (11-6) are off to their best start in recent memory and are just two games out of first place in the Western Conference.

Much of OKC’s fast start can be credited to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. The guard-big duo have played like two of the best players in the league.

After an All-NBA season last year, Gilgeous-Alexander has picked up right where he left off. He is averaging 30.5 points on 53.8% shooting, six rebounds and 6.1 assists.

Holmgren has headlined this year’s rookie class with averages of 17.9 points, eight rebounds and 2.2 blocks.

With the Thunder looking to be one of the better teams in the Western Conference, an NBA executive told HoopsHype he believes they could go all in this season and make some win-now moves prior to the trade deadline.

“Chet Holmgren is a stud, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a top-five or top-10 guy in the league,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “They’re in line for a top-four seed and homecourt advantage in the playoffs. They can win a series. They have every pick in the world and contracts of all sizes. They can get anyone they want.”

In the article, NBA insider Michael Scotto suggested OKC has the salaries to create a trade package for someone making a lofty salary this season.

“Armed with a treasure chest of future draft picks, young talent, and movable contracts, several executives who spoke with HoopsHype believe the Thunder have the best assets to acquire any player in the league and could look to make a trade, given Oklahoma City’s hot start to the season.”

In all likelihood, the Thunder will stand pat for this year’s trade deadline. OKC has historically seldom made large in-season moves. As Thunder general manager Sam Presti said in his preseason presser, OKC will wait to see what it has with its young core before making any major roster moves.

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HoopsHype: Paycom Center ranked as 19th-best NBA arena

In a 35-member media survey conducted by @hoopshype, Paycom Center was ranked No. 19 among all NBA arenas.

With less than a month remaining until a new OKC arena proposal gets voted on by local residents, HoopsHype recently conducted a media poll to rank all 29 NBA arenas.

The criteria involved variables such as the crowd atmosphere and energy, the quality of the arena, culinary offerings and lighting.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Paycom Center surprisingly was ranked as the 19th-best arena by the 35-member media survey. That is an interesting result considering it could soon be replaced.

The 21-year-old arena garnered 18.1% of maximum allowed votes. It also received one fourth-place vote in the poll.

The Thunder look to get a new arena; their lease with Paycom Center ends in 2026. The current arena proposal, which is pending voter approval, includes a $900 million construction cost. Thunder ownership will chip in $50 million.

A new arena will secure the Thunder’s future in OKC beyond 2050 via a 25-year lease. It is planned to open by the 2029-30 season at the latest.

An citywide vote will take place on Dec. 12 that will determine whether or the current one-cent sales tax that would largely fund the new arena will be extended.

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