3 Takeaways From OKC Thunder’s Loss to Suns in Summer League Thriller

The Thunder had plenty of opportunities but couldn’t close out the Suns.

Oct 9, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Keyontae Johnson (18) during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

The Thunder could not secure a win in their most intense Summer League game yet.

Oklahoma City lost 100-99 to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday to fall to 0-3 in Vegas. While the team had its most competitive game since Utah, it was also shorthanded.

Prior to Wednesday’s game, the Thunder shut down their rookies and Adam Flagler for the remainder of Summer League. Still, the Thunder put up a fight and nearly came away with a win.

In a wild final few minutes, the Thunder and Suns went back and forth. In the final 30 seconds, Thunder guard Jaden Shackelford and Suns forward David Roddy traded 3-pointers. With a tie game in the closing seconds, Keyontae Johnson nailed a fadeaway jumper in the paint with 2.1 seconds left.

Although he gave the Thunder the lead, Johnson also made a costly mistake and fouled Roddy on a 3-point attempt with 0.3 seconds left. Roddy nailed all three free throws to give the Suns a tight win.

Let’s dive into three lessons that can be learned from yesterday’s game.

Apr 14, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Buddy Boeheim (35) warms up for a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

The Thunder got hot from beyond the arc 

Offense has been an issue for Oklahoma City throughout Summer League, but its matchup against Phoenix was a different story. The Thunder nearly cracked triple digits and caught on fire from 3-point range.

The Thunder shot 20-of-36 from beyond the arc on Wednesday to help put themselves in a position to win. Buddy Boeheim was particularly impressive for the Thunder, shooting 6-of-11, with every shot coming from outside.

Jaden Shackelford also delivered for the Thunder off the bench, knocking down six 3-pointers of his own. More than half of the Thunder’s shot attempts came from 3-point range, and their success from deep nearly led them to victory.

Keyontae Johnson could be on an NBA roster next season 

The final seconds simultaneously showed how poised and how young Johnson is. Going from nailing the potential game-winner to fouling on a 3-point shot, Johnson has had a roller coaster of a Summer League.

Still, his performance against the Suns was an impressive one. He finished with 16 points on 8-of-19 shooting, but his outside shot still needs work, as he finished 0-of-3 against Phoenix.

At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, Johnson can play anywhere on the floor and have an impact in various ways. He added seven rebounds and four assists for the Thunder while finding ways to make an impact defensively.

A bad Summer League team is a good sign 

Throughout the past couple of years, the Thunder have trotted out some of the most intriguing Summer League teams. With players such as Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey leading the way, Oklahoma City has had some of the best top-end talent in Utah and Vegas.

However, 2024 has been much different for the Thunder. This year, the Thunder do not even have some of their high-caliber role players like Cason Wallace, who played in 2023. 

Instead, Oklahoma City’s most notable player in Vegas in No. 26 pick Dillon Jones. Alongside Ajay Mitchell and Adam Flagler, the Thunder have had some bright spots. That has still not stopped them from losing every game in Vegas. In reality, that means the Thunder have fully entered the next stage of this era: full-blown contention.

While the Thunder will have some juicy first-round picks over the next few years, they are looking for supplementary pieces, not stars like those who have shined in recent summers.

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Although the Thunder have not done much winning, this has been a successful summer for them. If any of the players who have seen the floor over the past couple of weeks can crack the rotation, it would be a major success.

The Thunder will coontinue their Vegas slate on Friday against the Golden State Warriors.

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