OKC Thunder Declining Options on Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins Doesn't Rule Out Moves

The Oklahoma City Thunder Declining the options on Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe does not rule out potential moves this summer, though does change the percentages.

Apr 21, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) gestures after scoring a three-point basket against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter of game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

A burning question around this offseason has consistently been how aggressive are the Oklahoma City Thunder willing to be? Fresh off a 57-win season good enough to nab the top seed in the Western Conference en route to their first playoff series win since the Obama Administration and just second sweep in franchise history - could Oklahoma City be willing to push "All in" on this young core?

The Thunder started the summer by shuffling Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls in a one-for-one swap for Alex Caruso. This week, Oklahoma City managed to make three selections in the 2024 NBA Draft - after entering the festivities with just one pick - the Thunder used their highest selection to nab Nikola Topic with the No. 12 pick in the draft who is sidelined with an ACL injury for the entire 2024-25 season.

As Free Agency is set to open, many clamor for the Thunder to make a huge move as one of just six teams with cap space and with only two of those destinations being winning situations at a championship-level.

Oklahoma City has needs in their frontcourt rotation and could use some on-ball table setting and scoring though perhaps they believe internal grow mixed with the Dillon Jones and Aay Mitchell additions solves that problem.

The Thunder have made their first moves of free agency which was to decline the team options on Isaiah Joe ($2.1 Million) and Aaron Wiggins ($2 Million) to make them restricted free agents. The end-goal being to extend both players to long-term pacts with Oklahoma City which is the likely outcome.

However, many wrongfully believe this ends the Thunder's offseason. Technically speaking, it does not. Given the Thunder still control full bird rights on Joe and Wiggins they can elect to use all of their cap space prior to inking the role players and go over the cap to do so with the bird rights to the sharpshooter and versitile wing.

According to Cap expert Keith Smith, this move also opens up immediate cap space as the two players' cap holds each drop to a minimum ahead of free agency giving Oklahoma City just a little more wiggle room.

The likely outcome is the Thunder just elect to keep their players and lean on internal development but these moves in themselves do not take anything off the table for Oklahoma City.

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