| 2022–23 Oklahoma City Thunder season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Mark Daigneault | ||
| General manager | Sam Presti | ||
| Owners | Professional Basketball Club LLC Clay Bennett (Chairman) | ||
| Arena | Paycom Center | ||
| Results | |||
| Record | 40–42 (.488) | ||
| Place | Division: 3rd (Northwest) Conference: 10th (Western) | ||
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify | ||
Stats atBasketball Reference | |||
| Local media | |||
| Television | Bally Sports Oklahoma | ||
| Radio | KWPN andWWLS-FM | ||
| |||
The2022–23 Oklahoma City Thunder season was the 15th season of the franchise inOklahoma City and the 57th in theNational Basketball Association (NBA).
TheThunder finished the2021–22 season 24–58 to finish in fifth place in the Northwest Division, fourteenth in the Western Conference and failed to qualify for theplayoffs. This marks the second consecutive season that the Thunder failed to qualify for the playoffs since moving toOklahoma City.
| Season | Record | Seeding |
|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | 44–28 | 5th |
| 2020–21 | 22–50 | 14th |
| 2021–22 | 24–58 | 14th |
In their second year of the rebuild, the Thunder started the season with 10 players aged 23 years or under. Throughout the season, the Thunder had numerous injuries toShai Gilgeous-Alexander,Luguentz Dort,Josh Giddey, andKenrich Williams.[1] Playing without Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey, and Williams, the Thunder were defeated by an NBA record 73-points in a 152–79 loss against theMemphis Grizzlies on December 2, 2021.[2]
In his rookie season,Josh Giddey - the 6th pick in the2021 NBA draft - recorded four triple-doubles including becoming the youngest ever to record one at 19 years and 84 days old.[3] Before his season ending injury, Giddey had won four consecutive Western Conference Rookie of the Month and ultimately finished on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.[4]
The Thunder ended the2021-22 season injury-riddled with nine players out in the final games. Utilizing their G League affiliate in theOklahoma City Blue, the Thunder signedMelvin Frazier Jr.,Jaylen Hoard,Georgios Kalaitzakis, andZavier Simpson to finish out the season.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Chet Holmgren | PF |  United States | Gonzaga |
| 1 | 12 | Jalen Williams | SG | United States | Santa Clara |
| 1 | 30 | Peyton Watson | PF | United States | UCLA |
| 2 | 34 | Jaylin Williams | C | United States | Arkansas |
| Ousmane Diengwas later traded to the Thunder viaNew York Knicks | |||||
The Thunder had three first-round picks and one second-round pick entering the draft.[5] The Thunder owned two first-round picks entering the2022 NBA draft lottery. Their sole first-round pick had a 12.50% chance to win the first overall pick while the pick originally acquired from theLos Angeles Clippers had a 1.50% chance to win the first pick, acquired through thePaul George trade in 2019.[6] With a combined 14.0% chance to win the first overall pick, the Thunder ended the night with the second overall pick, via their sole first-round pick, and the twelfth overall pick, via the Clippers. The Thunder's other first-round pick ended up as the thirtieth pick originally acquired from thePhoenix Suns as a result of theChris Paul trade in 2020.[7]
On draft night, the Thunder traded three protected 2023 first-round draft picks to theNew York Knicks in exchange for the draft rights toOusmane Dieng, the eleventh pick.[8] With the thirtieth pick, the Thunder selected and traded the draft rights toPeyton Watson to theDenver Nuggets in theJaMychal Green trade.[9]
The Thunder ended2022 NBA draft night with Gonzaga forwardChet Holmgren,Australia's NBL forwardOusmane Dieng, Santa Clara guardJalen Williams, and Arkansas forwardJaylin Williams.[10]
On June 23, the Thunder traded the draft rights toPeyton Watson, the thirtieth pick, and two future second-round draft picks to theDenver Nuggets in exchange forJaMychal Green and a future 2027 first-round pick.[11] On July 20, the Thunder negotiated a contract buyout and waived Green. In return, Green gave up $2.6 million in his buyout.[12][13]
On September 27, the Thunder tradedVít Krejčí to theAtlanta Hawks in exchange forMaurice Harkless and draft considerations in an effort to clear a roster spot.[14][15] The Thunder received a 2029 second-round pick and amendments on the conditions of a previously traded 2025 second-round pick which will be now top-40 protected.[16]
On September 30, the Thunder tradedDerrick Favors,Maurice Harkless,Ty Jerome,Théo Maledon, a 2026 second-round pick and cash considerations to theHouston Rockets in exchange forSterling Brown,Trey Burke,Marquese Chriss andDavid Nwaba.[17] Jerome did not report to training camp after a mutual agreement with the Thunder and Jerome's representatives.[18] With the trade, the Thunder generated two trade exceptions and dropped approximately $10 million under the luxury tax.[19] On October 2, the Thunder waivedSterling Brown after acquiring him two days ago.[20] On October 17, the Thunder waivedTrey Burke,Marquese Chriss, andDavid Nwaba to finalize the regular season roster.[21]
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For this offseason, free agency began on June 30, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. EST.[22]Derrick Favors,Mike Muscala,Luguentz Dort,Isaiah Roby had upcoming player and team options. In addition,Theo Maledon,Vit Krejci,Aaron Wiggins, andKenrich Williams held non-guaranteed contracts with the team heading into next season.Melvin Frazier Jr. also held atwo-way contract that expired this season.[23] On May 17,Derrick Favors exercised his player option for $10.2 million.[24] On June 29, the Thunder declinedMike Muscala's team option for $3.5 million and exercisedIsaiah Roby's team option for $1.9 million.[25][26] However, on July 3, the Thunder waived Roby as his salary would have become fully guaranteed after exercising his team option.[27][28] On June 30, it was reported thatLuguentz Dort agreed to a five-year, $87.5 million deal to stay with the Thunder, which he later signed on July 6.[29][30] Dort and the Thunder negotiated the new deal after his team option for $1.9 million was declined.[31] On July 18, it was reported thatKenrich Williams signed a multi-year contract extension worth four-year, $27.2 million, which he later signed on July 20.[32][33] On August 4, the Thunder re-signedMike Muscala to a two-year, $7 million deal after his team option was declined on June 30.[34][35] On October 26, it was announced thatMelvin Frazier Jr. joined theRaptors 905 for the upcoming season.[36]
On July 2,Eugene Omoruyi signed atwo-way contract with the Thunder, splitting time with the Thunder andOklahoma City Blue. Omoruyi spent part of the2021-22 NBA season on a previous two-way contract with theDallas Mavericks.[37] On October 16,Isaiah Joe signed a contract with the Thunder after being waived by thePhiladelphia 76ers.[38]
On July 27, the Thunder hiredChip Engelland, formerly with theSan Antonio Spurs, as an assistant coach. Engelland is considered one of the NBA's preeminent shooting coach and has been one of the league's highest-paid assistant coaches.Sam Presti and Engelland previously worked together with the Spurs organization in the mid-2000s.[39][40] On July 27, the Thunder hired Vince Rozman, formerly with thePhiladelphia 76ers in scouting as VP of Identification and Intelligence. Rozman spent over 15-plus years with the 76ers.[41]
On September 23, the Thunder announcedGrant Gibbs will join the Thunder coaching staff after serving as head coach of theOklahoma City Blue for the past three seasons. In addition, Thunder assistantKameron Woods was named the new head coach of the Blue. Woods previously played for the Blue for two seasons and served as the head coach of the Thunder during the2022 NBA Summer League.[42]
The Thunder announced their preseason schedule on August 25. The Thunder played six games, with three games inOklahoma, two games against international opponents.[43] That same day, the Thunder announcedChet Holmgren will miss the entire season after sustaining a fracture in his right foot during a Pro-Am event.[44] The Thunder opened their preseason opener against theDenver Nuggets on October 3.Tre Mann led the Thunder with 17 points whileAaron Wiggins scored 15 points on a perfect 4-4 from three off the bench in a 112–101 win.[45] Against theAdelaide 36ers on October 6, the Thunder led by as many as 40 points as Mann andLindy Waters III combined for 14 threes in a 131–98 rout.[46] The Thunder topped their performance against the 36ers with a 144–97 victory overMaccabi Ra'anana leading by as many as 51 points. Eight Thunder players scored in double digits led byEugene Omoruyi's 25 points.[47] The Thunder ended preseason with a 5–1 record with their single loss against theDallas Mavericks.
The Thunder began their 15th season since the franchise moved toOklahoma City against theMinnesota Timberwolves on October 19.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who missed all of preseason, led the Thunder with 32 points. The Thunder trailed by as many as 16-points until a late rally turned into a six-point lead for the Thunder. However the Thunder could not keep the lead, losing 108–115 in their season opener. Rookie guardJalen Williams took a hit defending a dunk attempt byJaden McDaniels and left the game, ending his rookie debut with five points in five minutes.[48] The Thunder again faced the Timberwolves for the home opener on October 23. The Thunder never led and trailed by as many as 22-points falling to 0–3 on the season in a 106–116 loss.[49]
In a back-to-back against theLos Angeles Clippers, on October 25, Gilgeous-Alexander andTre Mann led the Thunder to their first win of the season with 33 points and 25 points respectively.[50] In the second game on October 27, the Thunder led by as many as 18 points to a 118–110 win against the Clippers for their second win of the season. Back on the road, on October 29 against theDallas Mavericks, the Thunder erased an eight-point deficit in the final two minutes of regulation in a 117–111 overtime victory. OKC trailed by as many as 16-points headed into the fourth quarter until the Thunder came back behind Gilgeous-Alexander andIsaiah Joe. Joe, a late signing after being waived by the 76ers, started the fourth quarter comeback by hitting a pair of free throws and a jumper to cut the lead to six. After two Gilgeous-Alexander jumpers, Joe hit a three-pointer to send the game into overtime with 15.8 seconds left in the fourth. Joe later scored 8 of his 15 points in the overtime period giving the Thunder a 117–111 win and their first road victory.[51] On October 31, Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA Player of the Week for Week 2 after averaging 31.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists.[52]
After being named NBA Player of the Week, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points to lead the Thunder after being down 15 points in the second half to a 116–108 win against theOrlando Magic. With a 4–3 record, the Thunder had a winning record for the first time since nine games into the2020-21 season.[53] In a double overtime thriller on November 9, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 39 points including a step-back three-pointer with 0.6 seconds left in the first overtime giving the Thunder a 126–125 lead. However,Luguentz Dort fouledBrook Lopez on an inbounds lob where Lopez made 1-of-2 free throws. The Thunder ended up losing 132–136 extending their losing streak to four games.[54] Coming off a double overtime game, on November 11,two-way contract playerEugene Omoruyi scored a career-high 22 points to defeat theToronto Raptors 132–113 after leading by as much as 32 points.[55] Against theNew York Knicks on November 12, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points,Josh Giddey recorded 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists as the Thunder shot a season-high 62.5% in a 145–135 win. Giddey joinedWilt Chamberlain as the only player in NBA history to record triple-doubles in their first two appearances atMadison Square Garden.[56] On November 16, trailing by as much as 17, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 in the second half as he matched his career high with 42 points with a step-back three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left as the Thunder defeated theWashington Wizards 121–120.[57] In their third meeting with theDenver Nuggets, the Thunder rallied from a 19-point deficit to take a 15-point lead in the second half before falling 126–131 in overtime.Isaiah Joe almost played heroics again with a career-high 21 points with 7 threes, including a late three in overtime after a jump ball scramble.[58] With Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined with a bruised hip, rookieJalen Williams scored a career-high 27 points rallying the Thunder from a 20-point second half deficit to win 119–111 against theSan Antonio Spurs on November 30.[59] The next day, Williams was named NBA Rookie of the Month for October/November after averaging 10.7 points on 52.4% shooting, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. Williams became the third Thunder rookie to win Rookie of the Month honors afterRussell Westbrook andJosh Giddey.[60]
The Thunder started their longest road trip of the season against theMinnesota Timberwolves on December 3. On their second game of the road trip against theAtlanta Hawks, the Thunder overcame a 14-point deficit in the third to win 121–114. This was the Thunder's first win in Atlanta since the2017-18 season.[61] Trips toMemphis,Cleveland andDallas saw the Thunder finish the road trip 2–3 with narrow losses to the Cavaliers and Mavericks. Back atPaycom Center, the Thunder then started their longest home stand with seven straight games. Playing withoutShai Gilgeous-Alexander andJosh Giddey, the Thunder led by as many as 24-points against the top-seededMemphis Grizzlies on December 17 withLuguentz Dort's 24 pointsIsaiah Joe's career-high 23 points in a 115–109 win.[62] In the first back-to-back against thePortland Trail Blazers, Gilgeous-Alexander hit a game winner at the buzzer overJustise Winslow to finish with 35 points on December 19.[63] Coming off back-to-back wins against the Trail Blazers, Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 44 points to go with 10 rebounds and six assists in an overtime loss to theNew Orleans Pelicans. Gilgeous-Alexander nearly sent the game into double overtime after a missed free throw rebound caromed toward halfcourt.[64] During a 130–114 win against theSan Antonio Spurs, Giddey became the second-youngest NBA player to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists, behind onlyLeBron James.[65] The Thunder bench also scored a season-high 68 points marking the second most bench points in Thunder history.[66]
Playing withoutShai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder scored a season-high 150 points in a 150–117 win over the then-best recordBoston Celtics on January 3. The Thunder's 150 points and 48 in the third quarter were franchise highs as well as seven Thunder players scoring in double-figures led byJosh Giddey with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in 24 minutes.[67][68] On January 10 against theMiami Heat, the Thunder played on national TV - excludingNBA TV - for the first time since the2020 NBA Playoffs onTNT. The Heat, led byJimmy Butler, set an NBA record making all 40 free throws in a 112–111 win over the Thunder.[69] Against the76ers, the Thunder snapped their six-game road losing streak after leading by as much as 21 to a 133–114 win. Gilgeous-Alexander had 37 points including a career-perfect 16-16 from the free throw line. RookieJaylin Williams also contributed with a career-high 11 points in his fourth start of his career.[70] In their third game in four nights, the Thunder swept the season series against theChicago Bulls behind Giddey's season-high 25 points. RookieJalen Williams also added 22 points on an efficient 10-12 shooting.[71] To finish the four game road trip, Giddey tied his career-high 28 points along with 9 rebounds and 9 assists in a 112–102 win against theBrooklyn Nets.[72] Returning home, the Thunder recorded a franchise-high 41 assists in a 126–106 rout against theIndiana Pacers on January 18.[73] Against the then-best record in the westDenver Nuggets, Gilgeous-Alexander banked in the decisive game-winner with 9.2 seconds left in a 101–99 win.[74] On January 31,Josh Giddey andJalen Williams were named to the2023 Rising Stars Challenge. In 45 games, Giddey averaged 16.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Giddey's assists ranked second among sophomores. In 46 games, Williams averaged 12.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 steals. Giddey and Williams became the 12th and 13th players in Thunder history to be named to a Rising Stars team.[75]
On February 2,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named a2023 NBA All-Star reserve for the first time. In 47 games, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks, leading the Thunder to a 24–27 record. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30-plus points in 30 games this season, ranking second this season. He leads the league with 434 made free throws and sixth in the league with 101 points scored in clutch time.[76] Gilgeous-Alexander joinsKevin Durant,Russell Westbrook,Paul George, andChris Paul as the fifth Thunder player to be named an All-Star since the franchise moved toOklahoma City. In his first game after being named an All-Star, Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 20 first quarter points in a 153–121 rout against theHouston Rockets. The Thunder set a new franchise record 153 points after previously setting anOklahoma City-high 150 points.[77] The Thunder ended with six players in double-figures scoring led by Gilgeous-Alexander's 42 points.[78] On February 7, the Thunder had their second national TV game onTNT against theLos Angeles Lakers.[79]LeBron James passedKareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time scoring leader on a fadeaway shot againstKenrich Williams.[80] Despite James' record breaking night, the Thunder won 133–130 behindShai Gilgeous-Alexander's 30 points andJalen Williams's 25 points.[81]
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At the NBA trade deadline, the Thunder completed two trades with theBoston Celtics and thePhoenix Suns. The Thunder tradedMike Muscala to theBoston Celtics in exchange forJustin Jackson and two second-round picks.[82] Muscala, who re-signed with the Thunder this offseason, averaged 6.2 points on 39.4% three-point shooting in 43 games. Jackson, who played for the Thunder during the2020-21 season, was waived following the trade.[83] Muscala's departure allowed the Thunder to prioritize more playing time forJeremiah Robinson-Earl,Jaylin Williams andOusmane Dieng, in addition toChet Holmgren next season.[84] The Thunder also tradedDarius Bazley to thePhoenix Suns in exchange forDario Šarić, a second-round pick, and cash considerations.[85] Bazley's role decreased with the Thunder this year after averaging 10.8 points in the2021-22 season to 5.4 points in 36 games this season. Šarić joins the Thunder after recovering from a torn ACL and missing the entire2021-22 season averaging 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds this season.[86] After waivingJustin Jackson, the Thunder convertedEugene Omoruyi'stwo-way contract to a standard contract extending through the 2023–24 season. Omoruyi became the fifth Thunder player to have their two-way converted into a standard contract, joiningDeonte Burton,Luguentz Dort,Moses Brown, andAaron Wiggins.[87] To fill in the open two-way slot, the Thunder signedOlivier Sarr who spent part of the2021-22 season with the Thunder.[88] Sarr rejoined theOklahoma City Blue in January after being waived by thePortland Trail Blazers.[89][90]
On February 10,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied his career high with 44 points in a 138–129 win over thePortland Trail Blazers.[91] Gilgeous-Alexander shot 81% from field along with 18 of 19 from the free throw line becoming the first player in franchise history to record 40+ points on 80% or better from the field.[92] Gilgeous-Alexander was later named the NBA Player of the Week for Week 17 - his second - after averaging 31.3 points, 6.3 assists on 57.1% shooting.[93] At the2023 NBA All-Star Jordan Rising Stars Challenge,Josh Giddey andJalen Williams were both selected forTeam Joakim.[94] AgainstTeam Jason, Giddey had a team high 6 assists while Williams had a team high 5 rebounds in a 40–32 win.[95] In the championship final, Team Joakim lost 20–25 toTeam Pau.[96] At2023 NBA All-Star Game,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was selected fifth overall in the reserves toTeam Giannis.[97] In his first All-Star game, Gilgeous-Alexander had 9 points and 7 assists in 10 minutes asTeam Giannis defeatedTeam LeBron 184–175.[98]
WithoutShai Gilgeous-Alexander,Isaiah Joe started and scored a career-high 28 points on 6-12 three-point shooting in a 125–115 loss to thePhoenix Suns on February 24.[99] On February 26, the Thunder waivedEugene Omoruyi sixteen days after re-signing to a multi-year contract.[100] Omoruyi started off on atwo-way contract before re-signing to a standard contract following the departures ofDarius Bazley andMike Muscala. Omoruyi appeared in 21 games averaging 5.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.2 minutes. The Thunder opted for a free roster spot and decided between waiving Omoruyi orDario Šarić. By converting Omoruyi's contract into a standard, the Thunder gave Omoruyi a pay bump prior to inevitably being waived.[101] To fill in the open roster spot, the Thunder convertedLindy Waters III'stwo-way contract to a standard contract. Waters III became the sixth Thunder player to have their two-way contract converted into a standard contract.[102]
On March 2, the Thunder announcedKenrich Williams will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a scapholunate ligament rupture in his left wrist after a 123–117 loss to theSacramento Kings. In his third season with the Thunder, Williams appeared in 53 games averaging 8.0 points on 51.7% from the field, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.8 minutes. Williams also led the league during that time with 26 charges drawn.[103] AfterLindy Waters III'stwo-way contract was converted into a standard contract, the Thunder signedJared Butler to a two-way contract. Butler spent the beginning of the season with theGrand Rapids Gold in theNBA G League averaging 18.0 points and 5.7 assists in 41 games after being waived by theUtah Jazz prior to the season.[104] Against theUtah Jazz, the Thunder had their eighth game this season with three players scoring more than 20 points. Coming back from injury,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points,Jalen Williams had a career high 32 points on 12-15 shooting, andJosh Giddey had 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists in a 129–119 win.[105] Against theGolden State Warriors on March 7, the Thunder snapped their eight-game losing streak to Golden State.[106] Seven Thunder players scored in double-figures led byShai Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 points. Additionally,Josh Giddey recorded his seventh career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and a career high 17 assists andJaylin Williams scored a career high 15 points.[107] On March 19, the Thunder came back down 15 against thePhoenix Suns to win 124–120. After not playing the entire game,Aaron Wiggins lead an 18–2 run in the fourth quarter with 7 points and 2 steals while playing the whole quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 40 points whileLuguentz Dort had 11 of his 20 points in the third quarter.[108] In the first of a back-to-back against theLos Angeles Clippers,Luguentz Dort defendedKawhi Leonard on the final possession and kept Leonard from getting a shot off before the clock expired to give the Thunder a 101–100 win.[109] After losing in the second game of a back-to-back with the Clippers, the Thunder fell to theLos Angeles Lakers despiteJosh Giddey's 27 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 assist performance in a 116–111 loss dropping the Thunder for 10th in the West after climbing up to 7th.[110] Without Gilgeous-Alexander,Isaiah Joe,Jalen Williams, andJosh Giddey combined for 95 points in a 137–134 loss to theCharlotte Hornets. Joe, who started for Gilgeous-Alexander, had career-high 33 points with 6 threes. Williams was one point shy of his career-high had 31 points and 4 steals. Giddey finished with a career-high 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists however he missed a game-tying free throw with 4.0 seconds left.[111]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Jalen Williams' Putback Game Winner,Oklahoma City Thunder's official YouTube channel. March 29, 2023. |
After falling two games under .500 following the loss to the Hornets, the Thunder defeated theDetroit Pistons behindJalen Williams' putback with less than a second in a 107–106 win afterJosh Giddey's hook shot rolled off. With Gilgeous-Alexander sitting again, Williams led the Thunder with 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.[112] Williams also joinedKevin Durant andRussell Westbrook to have three or more games with at least 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in a season as a rookie.[113]
Entering the final month of the season, the Thunder had a 38–40 record, sitting in the final spot of theNBA play-in tournament holding the tiebreaker against the 37–40Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder held two more home and away games in the month of April against thePhoenix Suns,Golden State Warriors,Utah Jazz, andMemphis Grizzlies. Against thePhoenix Suns on April 2, the Thunder fell 128–118 despiteShai Gilgeous-Alexander's 39 points. In the second half, the Thunder rallied down 16 points to cut the lead to 3 before back-to-back threes byKevin Durant.[114] The Thunder started their final road trip against theGolden State Warriors and theUtah Jazz. In their final meeting, the Thunder held the lead until the 8:29 mark of the fourth quarter.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points, 21 in the first half however the Thunder fell 136–125, losing their third in a row and fourth of five.[115] Despite the Thunder's losing streak, the Thunder remained in 10th place after theDallas Mavericks lost seventh of nine. In the final road game of the season, the Thunder defeated theUtah Jazz 114–98, going on a 19–2 run bridging the third and fourth quarter to take control. With Gilgeous-Alexander struggling,Josh Giddey had 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists,Aaron Wiggins added 15 points and 3 steals.Dario Šarić also had his first double-double with the Thunder with 14 points and 10 rebounds. With the win, the Thunder were guaranteed to reach theNBA play-in tournament by defeating theMemphis Grizzlies in the final regular season game.[116] On April 7, theDallas Mavericks announced thatKyrie Irving,Tim Hardaway Jr.,Josh Green,Maxi Kleber, andChristian Wood would sit out against theChicago Bulls, a game that Dallas had to win to avoid being eliminated from theNBA play-in tournament scenario. Dallas was tied with the Bulls for the 10th-best lottery odds and would have conveyed their first-round pick to theNew York Knicks had it fallen out of the top-10.[117] WithLuka Dončić only playing 13 minutes, the Mavericks were officially eliminated from play-in contention following a 115–112 loss to theChicago Bulls, giving the Thunder the final play-in spot.[118] After clinching a play-in spot, the Thunder restedShai Gilgeous-Alexander,Josh Giddey,Luguentz Dort,Jalen Williams, andJaylin Williams in the final regular season game against theMemphis Grizzlies.[119] Playing only seven players, all five starters played more than 40 minutes led byTre Mann in a 115–100 win over theMemphis Grizzlies. Mann recorded his first career triple-double with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.Jared Butler had a career-high 25 points whileOusmane Dieng also recorded a career-high 22 points, 8 rebounds, and a career-high 9 assists.[120] With the win, the Thunder finished the2022-23 season with a 40–42 record, finishing tenth in the Western Conference and third in the Northwest Division.
With a 40–42 record, the Thunder finished tenth in the Western Conference and clinched the final spot in theNBA play-in tournament. The Thunder matched up against the ninth seedNew Orleans Pelicans in the 9/10 matchup.[121] The Pelicans won the season series against the Thunder, winning 3 out of 4 games. In the Thunder's three losses, the Thunder lost by a combined 10-points with two 3-point losses. Against the Pelicans,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged a team-high 33.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals a game. Gilgeous-Alexander also tied his career-high with 44 points in a December 23 matchup.[122]
November 28 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 101,New Orleans Pelicans105 | ||
| Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 31 | Pts:Zion Williamson 23 | |
December 23 |
| New Orleans Pelicans128,Oklahoma City Thunder 125 | ||
| Pts:Trey Murphy III 23 | Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 44 | |
February 13 |
| New Orleans Pelicans103,Oklahoma City Thunder 100 | ||
| Pts:Brandon Ingram 34 | Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 24 | |
The Thunder kept the same starting lineup ofShai Gilgeous-Alexander,Jalen Williams,Josh Giddey,Luguentz Dort, andJaylin Williams against the Pelicans who were withoutZion Williamson. Pelicans centerJonas Valančiūnas started the game with 6 early points off second chance points to give the Pelicans an early 19–10 lead. However,Luguentz Dort kept the Thunder in the game with 14 points in the first quarter to give the Thunder a three-point lead. In the second, the Thunder and the Pelicans continued to exchange baskets until a late run gave the Pelicans a 63–57 halftime lead. At halftime,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had his lowest-scoring first half with only 7 points on 3–10 shooting due toHerbert Jones's tenacious defense.[123] To start the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points whileJosh Giddey added 12 points and 5 assists as the Thunder outscored the Pelicans 39–24 to give the Thunder a 9-point lead entering the fourth. Despite the lead, the Pelicans took the lead at the 7:59 mark off aJosh Richardson dunk with Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench. After double timeouts from both teams at the 3:12 mark,Brandon Ingram made consecutive pullup jumpers after the Thunder continued to tie the game. AfterJaylin Williams made 1–of–2 free throws,CJ McCollum missed a floater gave the Thunder a chance to take the lead down 114–113. Gilgeous-Alexander drove into the paint with Jones on him and made a shot over Jones to give the Thunder a 115–114 lead. After a series of free throws including a made three by Ingram to cut the lead to one with 4.1 seconds,CJ McCollum andHerbert Jones turned over the ball while inbounding securing a 123–118 win for the Thunder. The Thunder won its first play-in game and advanced to face theMinnesota Timberwolves for the final spot in the2023 NBA playoffs. Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points, scoring 25 points in the second half.Josh Giddey had a near triple-double with 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists whileLuguentz Dort added 27 points with four threes.[124]
After defeating theNew Orleans Pelicans, the Thunder matched up against the eighth seedMinnesota Timberwolves who lost to the seventh seedLos Angeles Lakers in the 7/8 matchup. The Timberwolves won the season series against the Thunder, also winning 3 out of 4 games. The Thunder's sole victory was in a December 3 matchup when Timberwolves centerRudy Gobert was ejected for intentionally trippingKenrich Williams with Timberwolves centerKarl-Anthony Towns injured.
October 19 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 108,Minnesota Timberwolves115 | ||
| Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 32 | Pts:Rudy Gobert 23 | |
October 23 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves116,Oklahoma City Thunder 106 | ||
| Pts:Anthony Edwards 30 | Pts:Luguentz Dort 20 | |
December 3 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder135,Minnesota Timberwolves 128 | ||
| Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 33 | Pts:D'Angelo Russell 27 | |
December 16 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves112,Oklahoma City Thunder 110 | ||
| Pts:Naz Reid 28 | Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 35 | |
The Thunder kept the same starting lineup against the Timberwolves that featuredKarl-Anthony Towns andRudy Gobert. The Thunder started off 4–4 from the field but struggled throughout the first half and trailed 57–47 at halftime. After an offensive rebound, Gobert accidentally elbowedShai Gilgeous-Alexander in the face, leading to Gilgeous-Alexander to return to the locker room. Despite Gilgeous-Alexander's return, the Thunder fell behind 95–78 at the end of third. The Timberwolves continued to expand their lead, leading by as much as 29 points to a 120–95 win. Being guarded by his cousinNickeil Alexander-Walker, Gilgeous-Alexander struggled shooting 5–for–19 for 22 points. Playing small, the Thunder were overwhelmed byKarl-Anthony Towns andRudy Gobert who combined for 49 points and 21 rebounds as the Timberwolves outscored the Thunder 58–30 in points in the paint.[125]
With the loss, the Thunder missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season and entered the 2023 NBA Draft lottery with twelfth best odds in the lottery after losing the tiebreaker with theChicago Bulls.[126] The Thunder improved their record, winning 16 more games for a 40–42 record along with a play-in victory over the Pelicans.
The Thunder were nominated for three2022-23 season awards:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for theNBA Most Improved Player,Jalen Williams for theNBA Rookie of the Year andMark Daigneault for theNBA Coach of the Year.[127] Daigneault led the Thunder into the play-in tournament and a game away from the eighth seed in the playoffs after low preseason expectations for the Thunder. Daigneault ultimately finished second in voting with 48 second place votes and 20 third place votes.[128] Becoming a first-time All-Star, Gilgeous-Alexander finished second in voting with 24 first place votes and 54 second place votes losing toLauri Markkanen.[129] Williams, who averaged 14.1 points on 52% shooting, finished second in voting with 75 second place votes and 16 third place votes.[130]
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach Assistant(s) Legend
Roster |
| Legend | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| UFA | RFA | Team option | Player option |
| ‡Waived with guaranteed money | |||
| (TW)Two-way affiliate player | |||
| Player | Salary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 | 2025–26 | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | $30,913,750 | $33,386,850 | $35,859,950 | $38,333,050 | $40,806,150 | UFA |
| Luguentz Dort | $15,277,778 | $15,277,778 | $16,500,000 | $17,722,222 | $17,722,222 | UFA |
| Chet Holmgren | $9,891,240 | $10,386,000 | $10,880,640 | $13,731,368 | RFA | |
| Dario Šarić | $9,240,000 | UFA | ||||
| Josh Giddey | $6,287,400 | $6,587,040 | $8,352,367 | RFA | ||
| Ousmane Dieng | $4,569,840 | $4,798,440 | $5,027,040 | $6,670,882 | RFA | |
| Jalen Williams | $4,341,480 | $4,558,680 | $4,775,760 | $6,580,997 | RFA | |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | $3,261,480 | $5,009,633 | RFA | |||
| Tre Mann | $3,046,200 | $3,191,400 | $4,908,373 | RFA | ||
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | $2,000,000 | $1,900,000 | $1,988,598 | UFA | ||
| Kenrich Williams | $2,000,000 | $6,175,000 | $6,669,000 | $7,163,000 | $7,163,000 | UFA |
| Jaylin Williams | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,019,699 | $2,187,699 | UFA | |
| Lindy Waters III | $1,927,896 | $1,927,896 | RFA | |||
| Isaiah Joe | $1,836,090 | $1,997,238 | $2,164,993 | UFA | ||
| Aaron Wiggins | $1,563,518 | $1,836,096 | $1,988,598 | UFA | ||
| Jared Butler (TW) | Two-Way | RFA | ||||
| Olivier Sarr (TW) | Two-Way | RFA | ||||
| Kemba Walker ‡ | $27,431,078 | |||||
| JaMychal Green ‡ | $5,571,403 | |||||
| David Nwaba ‡ | $5,022,000 | |||||
| Trey Burke ‡ | $3,300,000 | |||||
| Sterling Brown ‡ | $3,000,000 | |||||
| Marquese Chriss ‡ | $2,193,920 | |||||
| Justin Jackson ‡ | $2,133,278 | |||||
| Kyle Singler ‡ | $999,200 | |||||
| Eugene Omoruyi ‡ | $345,110 | |||||
Source:Spotrac
|
| |||||
Conference[edit]
| Division[edit]
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| 2022 preseason game log Total: 5–1 (Home: 2–1; Road: 3–0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preseason: 5–1 (home: 2–1; road: 3–0)
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| 2022–23 pre-season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–23 game log Total: 40–42 (Home: 25–17; Road: 15–25) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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October: 3–3 (home: 2–1; road: 1–2)
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November: 6–10 (home: 4–4; road: 2–6)
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December: 6–8 (home: 4–4; road: 2–4)
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January: 9–5 (home: 5–2; road: 4–3)
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February: 4–7 (home: 2–3; road: 2–4)
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March: 10–7 (home: 6–2; road: 4–5)
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April: 2–2 (home: 1–1; road: 1–1)
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| 2022–23 season schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 play-in game log Total: 1–1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Play-In: 1–1 (home: 0–0; road: 1–1)
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| 2022–23 season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Sabremetrics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TS% | True shooting percentage | eFG% | Effective field goal percentage | ORB% | Offensive rebound percentage |
| DRB% | Defensive rebound percentage | TRB% | Total rebound percentage | AST% | Assist percentage |
| STL% | Steal percentage | BLK% | Block percentage | TOV% | Turnover percentage |
| USG% | Usage percentage | ORtg | Offensive rating | DRtg | Defensive rating |
| PER | Player efficiency rating | ||||
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Bazley | 5 | 1 | 22.4 | 48.6% | 12.5% | 66.7% | 6.4 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 10.2 |
| Ousmane Dieng | 5 | 1 | 24.7 | 57.9% | 47.1% | 75.0% | 3.2 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 11.0 |
| Luguentz Dort | 3 | 3 | 18.5 | 54.5% | 35.3% | 69.2% | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 17.0 |
| Abdul GaddyT | 1 | 0 | 3.7 | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Josh Giddey | 5 | 5 | 22.6 | 52.8% | 53.3% | 63.6% | 6.0 | 6.6 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 14.2 |
| Sacha Killeya-JonesT | 1 | 0 | 2.6 | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chet Holmgren | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tre Mann | 5 | 4 | 23.6 | 49.2% | 52.8% | 100% | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 16.0 |
| David NwabaT | 5 | 0 | 12.0 | 28.6% | 0.0% | 85.0% | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 4.2 |
| Mike Muscala | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Eugene Omoruyi | 6 | 0 | 17.1 | 59.6% | 42.9% | 100% | 4.0 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 11.8 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | 6 | 3 | 21.8 | 47.6% | 30.4% | 80.0% | 5.3 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 9.2 |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | 5 | 5 | 19.2 | 34.2% | 6.3% | 88.9% | 3.6 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 7.0 |
| Jaden ShackelfordT | 1 | 0 | 13.1 | 50.0% | 66.7% | – | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 |
| Lindy Waters III | 6 | 1 | 17.0 | 40.0% | 42.9% | 91.7% | 3.0 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 8.5 |
| Aaron Wiggins | 6 | 3 | 17.9 | 47.2% | 55.6% | 100% | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 9.2 |
| Jalen Williams | 5 | 2 | 26.3 | 61.0% | 22.2% | 76.9% | 3.0 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 14.4 |
| Jaylin Williams | 6 | 1 | 18.8 | 53.3% | 25.0% | 53.8% | 7.5 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 4.0 |
| Kenrich Williams | 2 | 1 | 18.5 | 45.5% | 0.0% | 66.7% | 4.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 7.0 |
| Robert Woodard IIT | 2 | 0 | 9.4 | 28.6% | 0.0% | – | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
Source:RealGM
T Waived after preseason
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Bazley† | 36 | 1 | 15.4 | 44.9% | 40.0% | 55.4% | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 5.4 |
| Jared Butler ≠ | 6 | 1 | 12.8 | 46.9% | 50.0% | – | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 6.2 |
| Ousmane Dieng | 39 | 1 | 14.6 | 42.0% | 26.5% | 65.2% | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 4.9 |
| Luguentz Dort | 74 | 73 | 30.7 | 38.8% | 33.0% | 77.2% | 4.6 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 13.7 |
| Josh Giddey | 76 | 76 | 31.3 | 48.2% | 32.5% | 73.1% | 7.9 | 6.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 16.6 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 68 | 68 | 35.5 | 51.0% | 34.5% | 90.5% | 4.8 | 5.5 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 31.4 |
| Chet Holmgren | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Isaiah Joe | 73 | 10 | 19.1 | 44.1% | 40.9% | 82.0% | 2.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 9.5 |
| Tre Mann | 67 | 5 | 17.7 | 39.3% | 31.5% | 76.4% | 2.3 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 7.7 |
| Mike Muscala† | 43 | 5 | 14.5 | 43.8% | 39.4% | 79.5% | 3.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 6.2 |
| Eugene Omoruyi‡ | 23 | 2 | 11.8 | 46.8% | 25.8% | 60.7% | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 4.9 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | 34 | 25 | 20.6 | 43.4% | 36.5% | 62.9% | 4.7 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 8.1 |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | 43 | 20 | 18.9 | 44.4% | 33.3% | 83.3% | 4.2 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 6.8 |
| Dario Šarić≠ | 20 | 0 | 13.7 | 51.5% | 39.1% | 84.4% | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 7.4 |
| Olivier Sarr≠ | 9 | 1 | 12.6 | 50.0% | 12.5% | 71.4% | 3.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 4.0 |
| Lindy Waters III | 41 | 0 | 12.9 | 39.3% | 35.8% | 80.0% | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 5.2 |
| Aaron Wiggins | 70 | 14 | 18.5 | 51.2% | 39.3% | 83.1% | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 6.8 |
| Jalen Williams | 75 | 62 | 30.3 | 52.1% | 35.6% | 81.2% | 4.5 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 14.1 |
| Jaylin Williams | 49 | 36 | 18.7 | 43.6% | 40.7% | 70.4% | 4.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 5.9 |
| Kenrich Williams | 53 | 10 | 22.8 | 51.7% | 37.3% | 43.6% | 4.9 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 8.0 |
Source:Basketball-Reference
‡ Waived during the season
† Traded during the season
≠ Acquired during the season
| Player | TS% | eFG% | ORB% | DRB% | TRB% | AST% | STL% | BLK% | TOV% | USG% | ORtg | DRtg | PER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Bazley† | .525 | .506 | 5.4 | 18.1 | 11.6 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 4.7 | 10.5 | 15.7 | 108.3 | 110.8 | 13.0 |
| Jared Butler ≠ | .578 | .578 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 14.5 | 3.1 | – | 13.5 | 19.7 | 105.6 | 114.7 | 12.4 |
| Ousmane Dieng | .505 | .492 | 3.4 | 16.5 | 9.7 | 10.8 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 12.0 | 24.6 | 109.5 | 114.6 | 9.3 |
| Luguentz Dort | .513 | .466 | 5.9 | 10.4 | 8.1 | 9.2 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 8.5 | 19.8 | 109.2 | 115.6 | 11.3 |
| Josh Giddey | .533 | .516 | 6.6 | 20.9 | 13.6 | 29.9 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 15.1 | 24.6 | 109.5 | 114.6 | 17.0 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | .626 | .531 | 2.6 | 12.3 | 7.3 | 25.8 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 10.1 | 32.8 | 125.5 | 113.3 | 27.2 |
| Chet Holmgren | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Isaiah Joe | .626 | .599 | 2.0 | 11.6 | 6.7 | 8.7 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 6.6 | 17.7 | 125.0 | 115.9 | 14.4 |
| Tre Mann | .492 | .474 | 2.4 | 11.9 | 7.0 | 13.9 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 10.6 | 20.7 | 101.0 | 115.9 | 9.9 |
| Mike Muscala† | .602 | .576 | 3.9 | 19.6 | 11.6 | 8.1 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 6.0 | 15.8 | 124.3 | 114.3 | 13.8 |
| Eugene Omoruyi‡ | .531 | .511 | 8.6 | 12.0 | 10.3 | 5.8 | 2.5 | - | 13.1 | 18.9 | 104.4 | 114.1 | 10.6 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | .522 | .510 | 6.7 | 17.4 | 12.0 | 12.5 | 1.3 | 5.5 | 14.0 | 18.3 | 105.0 | 111.0 | 13.3 |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | .548 | .518 | 8.9 | 14.6 | 11.6 | 7.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 6.7 | 14.6 | 120.4 | 115.1 | 12.9 |
| Dario Šarić≠ | .650 | .606 | 5.3 | 20.7 | 12.7 | 9.0 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 14.4 | 20.0 | 119.0 | 114.9 | 15.7 |
| Olivier Sarr≠ | .544 | .517 | 11.0 | 18.5 | 14.6 | 4.9 | 0.4 | 4.0 | 10.8 | 13.7 | 115.8 | 116.5 | 11.7 |
| Lindy Waters III | .573 | .556 | 3.2 | 12.2 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 5.1 | 15.6 | 118.7 | 115.9 | 11.8 |
| Aaron Wiggins | .607 | .579 | 5.6 | 12.0 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 12.2 | 14.5 | 119.1 | 115.9 | 12.2 |
| Jalen Williams | .601 | .567 | 3.9 | 12.2 | 8.0 | 15.4 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 12.3 | 18.4 | 118.6 | 114.0 | 15.6 |
| Jaylin Williams | .559 | .534 | 5.0 | 23.6 | 14.1 | 10.8 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 12.6 | 13.5 | 114.5 | 113.1 | 11.2 |
| Kenrich Williams | .585 | .590 | 8.4 | 14.9 | 11.6 | 11.5 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 8.1 | 13.6 | 126.5 | 114.1 | 14.5 |
Source:RealGM
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ousmane Dieng | 1 | 0 | 7.2 | 40.0% | 0.0% | – | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| Luguentz Dort | 2 | 2 | 36.2 | 50.0% | 50.0% | 80.0% | 6.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 22.0 |
| Josh Giddey | 2 | 2 | 36.2 | 37.1% | 27.3% | 88.9% | 7.0 | 7.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 18.5 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 2 | 2 | 38.7 | 39.0% | 33.3% | 100% | 6.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 27.0 |
| Isaiah Joe | 2 | 0 | 20.2 | 28.6% | 25.0% | – | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 5.0 |
| Tre Mann | 1 | 0 | 5.2 | – | – | – | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | 1 | 0 | 5.2 | 100% | 100% | – | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| Dario Šarić | 2 | 0 | 11.7 | 50.0% | 0.0% | – | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 3.0 |
| Lindy Waters III | 2 | 0 | 10.5 | 28.6% | 16.7% | – | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| Aaron Wiggins | 2 | 0 | 14.3 | 66.7% | 0.0% | 100% | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 5.5 |
| Jalen Williams | 2 | 2 | 36.1 | 37.5% | 30.8% | 75.0% | 4.0 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 14.0 |
| Jaylin Williams | 2 | 2 | 27.4 | 42.9% | 27.3% | 50.0% | 7.0 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 8.0 |
Source:NBA
| Offense | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | |||||
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 44vsPelicans on December 23, 2022 44vsTrail Blazers on February 10, 2023 | ||||
| Assists | |||||
| Josh Giddey | 17vsWarriors on March 7, 2023 | ||||
| Field Goals Made | |||||
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 17vsPelicans on December 23, 2022 | ||||
| Threes Made | |||||
| Isaiah Joe | 7vsNuggets on November 23, 2022 7vsPacers on January 18, 2023 7vsKings on January 20, 2023 | ||||
| Free Throws Made | |||||
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 18vsTrail Blazers on February 10, 2023 | ||||
| Defense | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebounds | |||||
| Josh Giddey | 17vsLakers on March 24, 2023 | ||||
| Steals | |||||
| Jalen Williams | 6vsLakers on February 7, 2023 | ||||
| Blocks | |||||
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Aleksej Pokuševski Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 4vsPistons on November 7, 2022 4vsRaptors on November 11, 2022 4vsSpurs on December 27, 2022 | ||||
| Miscellaneous | |||||
| Double-Doubles | |||||
| Josh Giddey | 28 | ||||
| Triple-Doubles | |||||
| Josh Giddey | 4 | ||||
| Date | Player | Award |
|---|---|---|
| October 31, 2022 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander(1/2)[134] | October 24–30 Player of the Week[a] |
| December 1, 2022 | Jalen Williams(1/2)[135] | October/November Rookie of the Month[b] |
| January 31, 2023 | Josh Giddey[136] | NBA Rising Star[c] |
| January 31, 2023 | Jalen Williams[137] | NBA Rising Star[d] |
| February 2, 2023 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[138] | NBA All-Star[e] |
| February 13, 2023 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander(2/2)[139] | February 6–12 Player of the Week[f] |
| April 11, 2023 | Jalen Williams(2/2)[140] | March/April Rookie of the Month[g] |
| May 8, 2023 | Jalen Williams[141] | All-Rookie First Team[h] |
| May 10, 2023 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[142] | All-NBA First Team |
| Player | Duration | Injury | Games missed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | |||
| Chet Holmgren[a] | August 25, 2022 | 2023 Summer League | Right foot surgery | 82 (+2)[i] |
| Jalen Williams | October 22, 2022 | October 29, 2022 | Right orbital bone fracture | 4 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | October 23, 2022 | October 25, 2022 | Left hip contusion | 1 |
| Josh Giddey | October 25, 2022 | November 1, 2022 | Right ankle sprain | 3 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | November 5, 2022 | November 9, 2022 | Right shoulder bursitis | 2 |
| Darius Bazley | November 11, 2022 | November 21, 2022 | Right ankle sprain | 5 |
| Tre Mann | November 14, 2022 | November 21, 2022 | Low back soreness | 3 |
| Isaiah Joe | November 18, 2022 | November 21, 2022 | Right knee soreness | 1 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | November 21, 2022 | November 23, 2022 | Left ankle sprain | 1 |
| Mike Muscala | November 23, 2022 | December 3, 2022 | Left pinky fracture | 5 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | November 30, 2022 | December 3, 2022 | Left hip contusion | 1 |
| Kenrich Williams | December 5, 2022 | December 17, 2022 | Right knee sprain | 6 |
| Luguentz Dort | December 7, 2022 | December 10, 2022 | Left knee contusion | 1 |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | December 14, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | Right ankle sprain | 23 |
| Darius Bazley | December 16, 2022 | December 21, 2022 | Illness | 3 |
| Ousmane Dieng | December 16, 2022 | January 20, 2023 | Right wrist fracture | 17 |
| Josh Giddey | December 16, 2022 | December 21, 2022 | Illness | 3 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | December 16, 2022 | December 19, 2022 | Lower back contusion | 1 |
| Jaylin Williams | December 23, 2022 | December 27, 2022 | Concussion | 1 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | December 29, 2022 | March 11, 2023 | Left tibial plateau | 32 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | January 3, 2023 | January 4, 2023 | Illness | 1 |
| Jaylin Williams | January 4, 2023 | January 8, 2023 | Left ankle sprain | 1 |
| Isaiah Joe | January 13, 2023 | January 15, 2023 | G/I symptoms | 1 |
| Eugene Omoruyi | January 15, 2023 | January 18, 2023 | Low back soreness | 1 |
| Luguentz Dort | January 27, 2023 | February 10, 2023 | Right hamstring strain | 6 |
| Eugene Omoruyi | February 13, 2023 | February 15, 2023 | Left ankle sprain | 1 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | February 24, 2023 | March 5, 2023 | Abdominal strain/Health and safety protocols | 5 |
| Kenrich Williams[b] | March 1, 2023 | 2023 Offseason | Left wrist surgery | 21 (+2)[j] |
| Jalen Williams | March 7, 2023 | March 11, 2023 | Right wrist sprain | 2 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | March 8, 2023 | March 11, 2023 | Abdominal strain/Injury management | 1 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | March 12, 2023 | March 14, 2023 | Abdominal strain/Injury management | 1 |
| Lindy Waters III | March 26, 2023 | March 31, 2023 | Left foot plantar fasciitis | 3 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | March 28, 2023 | March 31, 2023 | Left ankle sprain | 2 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | April 4, 2023 | April 14, 2023 | Left knee contusion | 3 (+2)[k] |
| Luguentz Dort | April 9, 2023 | April 12, 2023 | Right shoulder strain | 1 |
| Josh Giddey | April 9, 2023 | April 12, 2023 | Rest | 1 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | April 9, 2023 | April 12, 2023 | Abdominal strain/Injury management | 1 |
| Jalen Williams | April 9, 2023 | April 12, 2023 | Right wrist strain | 1 |
| Jaylin Williams | April 9, 2023 | April 12, 2023 | Low back soreness | 1 |
^ a: Chet Holmgren sustained aLisfranc injury in his right foot prior to the start of the season and missed the entire2022-23 season.[172]
^ b: Kenrich Williams sustained a scapholunate ligament rupture in his left wrist and missed the rest of the2022-23 season.[173]
| Player | Duration | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | End | |
| Ousmane Dieng | October 28, 2022 | October 29, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | October 28, 2022 | October 29, 2022 |
| Ousmane Dieng | October 30, 2022 | October 30, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | October 30, 2022 | November 1, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | November 3, 2022 | November 5, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | November 8, 2022 | November 11, 2022 |
| Ousmane Dieng | November 8, 2022 | November 25, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | November 20, 2022 | November 21, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | December 1, 2022 | December 15, 2022 |
| Ousmane Dieng | December 6, 2022 | December 15, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | December 12, 2022 | December 15, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | December 18, 2022 | December 12, 2022 |
| Tre Mann | December 18, 2022 | December 23, 2022 |
| Jaylin Williams | December 26, 2022 | December 28, 2022 |
| Ousmane Dieng | January 19, 2023 | January 22, 2023 |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | January 31, 2023 | February 1, 2023 |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | February 3, 2023 | February 13, 2023 |
| Ousmane Dieng | February 6, 2023 | February 15, 2023 |
| Tre Mann | February 13, 2023 | February 13, 2023 |
| Tre Mann | February 14, 2023 | February 14, 2023 |
| Tre Mann | February 15, 2023 | February 15, 2023 |
| Aaron Wiggins | February 15, 2023 | February 15, 2023 |
| Ousmane Dieng | February 22, 2023 | March 3, 2023 |
| Aaron Wiggins | February 25, 2023 | February 26, 2023 |
| Lindy Waters III | February 28, 2023 | February 28, 2023 |
| Lindy Waters III | March 2, 2023 | March 5, 2023 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | March 6, 2023 | March 6, 2023 |
| Aleksej Pokuševski | March 11, 2023 | March 24, 2023 |
Source:NBA G League Transactions
| Players Added Via draft Via trade
Via free agency | Players Lost Via trade Via free agency Waived |
| June 23, 2022[174] | ToOklahoma City Thunder JaMychal Green 2027 first-round pick | ToDenver Nuggets Draft rights toPeyton Watson Two future second-round draft picks |
| June 23, 2022[175] | ToOklahoma City Thunder Draft rights toOusmane Dieng | ToNew York Knicks Three protected 2023 first-round draft picks |
| September 27, 2022[176] | ToOklahoma City Thunder Maurice Harkless 2029 second-round pick Amended conditions on previously traded 2025 second-round pick | ToAtlanta Hawks Vít Krejčí |
| September 30, 2022[177] | ToOklahoma City Thunder Sterling Brown Trey Burke Marquese Chriss David Nwaba | ToHouston Rockets Derrick Favors Maurice Harkless Ty Jerome Théo Maledon 2026 second-round pick Cash considerations |
February 9, 2023[178] | ToOklahoma City Thunder Dario Šarić 2029 second-round pick Cash considerations | ToPhoenix Suns Darius Bazley |
February 9, 2023[179] | ToOklahoma City Thunder Justin Jackson 2023 second-round pick 2029 second-round pick | ToBoston Celtics Mike Muscala |
| Date | Player | Contract | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2022 | Luguentz Dort[180] | Multi-Year Contract | |||
| July 20, 2022 | Kenrich Williams[181] | Multi-Year Extension | |||
| August 4, 2022 | Mike Muscala[182] | Multi-Year Contract | |||
| In-Season Re-Signings | |||||
| February 10, 2023 | Eugene Omoruyi[183] | Multi-Year Contract[c] | |||
| February 27, 2023 | Lindy Waters III[184] | Multi-Year Contract[d] | |||
^ c: Eugene Omoruyi initially signed atwo-way contract before it was converted into a multi-year contract.[185]
^ d: Lindy Waters III initially signed atwo-way contract before it was converted into a multi-year contract.[186]
| Date | Player | Contract | Former team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2, 2022 | Eugene Omoruyi[187] | Two-Way | Dallas Mavericks | ||
| October 16, 2022 | Isaiah Joe[188] | Multi-Year | Philadelphia 76ers | ||
| In-Season Additions | |||||
| February 12, 2023 | Olivier Sarr[189] | Two-Way | Oklahoma City Blue (G League) | ||
| March 3, 2023 | Jared Butler[190] | Two-Way | Grand Rapids Gold (G League) | ||
| Date | Player | Reason left | New team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2022 | Melvin Frazier Jr. | Free agent | Raptors 905 (G League) | ||
| July 3, 2022 | Isaiah Roby[191] | Waived | San Antonio Spurs | ||
| July 20, 2022 | JaMychal Green[192] | Waived | Golden State Warriors | ||
| October 2, 2022 | Sterling Brown[193] | Waived | Raptors 905 (G League) | ||
| October 17, 2022 | Trey Burke[194] | Waived | Stockton Kings (G League) | ||
| October 17, 2022 | Marquese Chriss[195] | Waived | Wisconsin Herd (G League) | ||
| October 17, 2022 | David Nwaba[196] | Waived | Motor City Cruise (G League) | ||
| In-Season Subtractions | |||||
| February 10, 2023 | Justin Jackson[197] | Waived | Texas Legends (G League) | ||
| February 26, 2023 | Eugene Omoruyi[198] | Waived | Detroit Pistons | ||
TheOklahoma City Blue started their 9th season of the franchise inOklahoma City and their 22nd season in theNBA G League. Last season, the Blue finished 15-20 and failed to make the playoffs after becoming the runner-ups in the 2021 Winter Showcase.[199][200]
On September 23, 2022, the Thunder namedKameron Woods the new head coach of the Blue, becoming the third head coach since the franchise relocated fromTulsa. Woods replacedGrant Gibbs following his promotion to the Thunder. Gibbs joins current head coachMark Daigneault andDarko Rajaković as the third Blue head coach to join the Thunder coaching staff.[201]
To fill in the open two-way spot left byMelvin Frazier Jr., the Thunder signedEugene Omoruyi to atwo-way contract. Omoruyi joinedLindy Waters III on a two-way after spending part of the2021-22 season with theDallas Mavericks. On February 10, the Thunder converted Omoruyi's contract into a standard, becoming the fifth Thunder player to have their two-way converted. To replace Omoruyi, the Thunder signedOlivier Sarr who spent part of the last season with the Thunder. After waiving Omoruyi sixteen days after re-signing to a standard, the Thunder convertedLindy Waters III into a standard. Replacing Waters III wasJared Butler who began the season with theGrand Rapids Gold.
Throughout the season, the Thunder sent downOusmane Dieng,Tre Mann,Aleksej Pokuševski,Jeremiah Robinson-Earl,Lindy Waters III,Aaron Wiggins, andJaylin Williams on G League assignments. On February 1, 2023, the Blue acquiredAndré Roberson after it was reported that Roberson had been practicing with the Blue last month.[202][203] Roberson spent seven seasons with the Thunder and became one of the top defenders in the league including an All-Defensive team in 2017. During the2017-18 season, Roberson suffered a patellar tendon and was sidelined for the remainder of the season and the following season. Roberson's last stint was with theBrooklyn Nets during the2020-21 season.[204]
UnderKameron Woods, the Blue finished the season 13-19 and missed the G League playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
