Keeping Favors Offers Pros and Cons for OKC

Derrick Favors was kept on the Thunder roster even ahead of younger players, and is paying off with an injured Chet Holmgren.

Derrick Favors is getting a better chance in Oklahoma City after the injury to Chet Holmgren.

Favors has evaded getting dealt in a trade or waived during the Thunder’s rampant roster revamp this off-season.

OKC kept Favors as a depth piece who more than likely wouldn’t see a lot of minutes due to the stack up in front of him of younger players.

However, now the shining light is apparent of why he was kept stockpiled in the roster. With Holmgren out, OKC needs bodies at the five.

Favors is tied with fellow center Mike Muscala as the oldest players in OKC both at 31-years-old. Both provide veteran leadership to the team and their position. Favors is more of a true center for NBA standards. His frame and height will put him back in contention to fill the void left by Holmgren.

The pro to why they kept him around during the off-season which saw the Thunder focus on paint depth.

However, keeping Favors will limit the hand of the Thunder in other ways. He’ll poach minutes from rookie Jaylin Williams who is looking to use this new opportunity to develop into a role player for the Thunder.

Favors is also taking up a large chunk of cap space. He played just 16.7 minutes per game in 39 games last season for the Thunder. He is owed more than $10 million this season for OKC. His salary makes him the third highest paid player for OKC.

The Thunder still have the chance to deal him through the trade deadline and could get a small package for him.

OKC decided to keep Favors, who averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last year, through the roster, slimming to this point in the off-season.

Now with Holmgren out for the year the plan seems to have played out in favor of the decision. . 

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