Thunder waive Aleksej Pokusevski

Thunder waive Aleksej Pokusevski

The Oklahoma City Thunder have officially waived former first-round pick Aleksej Pokusevski, the team announced in a press release Friday morning. 

The 7-foot Serbian wing was drafted No. 17 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft and was in the final year of his rookie contract. He was making approximately $5.0 million this season, according to Spotrac.   

Pokusevski is now the second top-20 pick to be waived this month, joining Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes, who was cut ahead of the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline. 

Coming off multiple injuries last season–which limited him to just 34 games–Pokusevski only appeared in 60 minutes with the Thunder this season. He logged 12 total points, 10 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block on 4-of-16 shooting and 2-of-11 from 3-point range.

In four seasons with Oklahoma City, he totaled 150 games–including 65 starts. He averaged 7.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 20.6 minutes per game, shooting 38.7 percent from the floor, 29.9 percent from 3-point range and 68.7 percent from the free-throw line. His most productive season was as a rookie in 2020-21, averaging 8.2 points, 4.7 boards and 2.2 assists in 45 games (28 starts).

Even with accumulating Pokusevski’s dead cap for the remainder of 2023-24, the Thunder remain over $5 million below the luxury tax and $11 million short of the first tax apron. Though it’s interesting that, given general manager Sam Presti’s track record, Pokusevski wasn’t moved for a second-round swap or perhaps a second-round pick ahead of the deadline … or involved in the Gordon Hayward trade.

That hypothetical transaction would have left them with 13 players on standard contracts (which they would have needed two weeks to acquire a 14th, by rule), but the organization was quick to (officially) sign center Bismack Biyombo for the rest of the season days after the deadline anyway.

Even though he’s been prone to injury and lacks a consistent outside shot, I’d like to see Aleksej Pokusevski get another opportunity around the league; he has guard skills for a 7-footer with good vision for his size. Perhaps a team with an open two-way spot or a team completely out of playoff contention will take a flier on him either this season or next.

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