Thunder Notebook: Thursday, August 30

Kyle Singler: End of an Error?

With Kyle Singler making his grand exit from the Thunder earlier today, I’ve been sitting here with an interesting question in mind:

What do we do now?

It’s weird, right? This is a guy that averaged 3.2 points per game in a Thunder uniform, yet his unceremonious departure sent ripples through the entire fan base. The folks around here have been calling for his uniquely-manicured head for the better part of three years. Now that he’s actually gone, there’s suddenly a gaping hole in the lives of everyone who watches this team on a frequent basis. If you’re a fan of Parks and Recreation, this is exactly what it must have felt like when Jerry Gergich retired and the office had to decide on a new target to bully.

But in reality, was Singler really that bad? I mean, yeah, he was virtually useless and made too much money. What did you want him to do? Turn it down? (Don’t answer that)

From a basketball standpoint, I totally get and support anyone that wants to celebrate a Thunder roster without Kyle Singler on it. That’s fair game. But from a personal standpoint, it’s not like he was a bad dude or some sort of cancerous growth that desperately needed removal. He is just an odd guy that seemed genuinely nice enough during his time in Oklahoma City. Hell, I bet there comes a point where we all sort of miss him.

Alright — too far. Do wish him the best, though.

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Thunder 2K19 Ratings

A screenshot from the upcoming release of NBA 2K19 leaked on Twitter — revealing the overall ratings for the Thunder’s presumed starting five (although Patrick Patterson should be the starter):

Fascinating.

For those curious about the change from last year’s edition — Westbrook is down a point, George is down two points, Adams and Grant are up two points, while Roberson is the exact same. The only other player on the roster to have his overall rating revealed is Nerlens Noel, who comes in as a 75-overall.

All of this is extremely important because it’s absolutely not. Welcome to August in the NBA.

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Huestis Watch

Josh Huestis has been nothing more than an afterthought this summer, as it’s long been believed the Thunder wouldn’t be bringing back the 26-year-old unrestricted free agent. With August nearly done and September quickly approaching, there’s been very little chatter about his options… but there is this from today:

Oh… oh no.

Try to disregard Tim Duncan looking jovial with his fade haircut — apparently, Huestis is working out with the Spurs ahead of next month’s training camp. And while this shouldn’t really do anything for me at all, I can’t help but feel a little sick about it. I mean — Pop is going to turn him into a Thunder killer, isn’t he? That’s how this story ends, right?

According to Fred Katz, Huestis has been working out in San Antonio all week, although he has not been signed yet. While it’s possible he never ends up playing for the Spurs, the fit makes a decent amount of sense. The Spurs lost Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green this summer, so there is a need for perimeter defenders on that roster. Huestis can certainly provide that, even if he doesn’t really do much of anything else.

Huestis appeared in 76 games for the Thunder over the last three seasons, with 69 of those coming in 2017-18. His 2.3 points per game on 28.7 percent shooting from deep are reason enough to be cool with letting him walk. But the Spurs? The possibilities there truly frighten me, man.

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Thunder Cap Situation

With Singler officially out of the picture, here is how the Thunder’s salary cap situation looks moving forward.

Spreadsheet via Early Bird Rights — also available on our Salaries page (for future reference).

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That’s all. Enjoy your Thursday.