Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale published an article that lists 10 NBA free agents that need a change of scenery to salvage their careers. A couple of the players mentioned were linked to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a new home for them.
The two players are a pair of young bigs in Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton and Orlando Magic center Mo Bamba, who are both restricted free agents.
The Magic — who will most likely select Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. first overall in the 2022 NBA draft — have a frontcourt logjam with Wendell Carter Jr., Jonathan Isaac and potentially Smith Jr. Bamba’s contract and health could cause him to be the odd man out as he has played just 226 games in four seasons.
Claxton has stayed trouble being healthy — playing just 94 games in three seasons — but has been impressive in his time on the court as an athletic and young center. The Nets might not be able to bring Claxton back as he could potentially be priced out with an offer sheet from another team.
In all likelihood, the Thunder will probably not go after either of these young centers as general manager Sam Presti said in his exit interview that the team will be relatively quiet in free agency this summer.
