The Oklahoma City Thunder exercised the team options on three players who are on their rookie deals, the organization announced Sunday.
Oklahoma City picked up the fourth-year option on guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the third-year option on forward Darius Bazley and the third-year option on guard Ty Jerome.
Gilgeous-Alexander will be owed $5.5 million in 2021-22. Bazley will be owed $2.5 million and Jerome will be owed $2.4 million.
None of these decisions are surprising. Gilgeous-Alexander, 22, is one of the emerging guards in the league and is already worth well over $5.5 million. Bazley, whose performance in the bubble was a noticeable boost from the first five months of the season, is in the starting as a 20-year-old in his second season and plays with the versatility that head coach Mark Daigneault wants from players in his rotation.
Jerome is the only player who remains on the Thunder and was acquired from the Phoenix Suns as part of the Chris Paul trade. The second-year guard is injured with a left ankle sprain and the timetable for his return is unclear, but it makes sense to accept the 23-year-old’s option at the inexpensive price.
He appeared in 31 games with the Suns as a rookie after winning the 2019 NCAA Championship with Virginia.
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