Stiles Points: Despite Record, OKC Thunder Summer League Was a Success

The Oklahoma City Thunder have wrapped up their Summer League stint with just one game landing in the win column, but it should still be viewed as a success.

Ajay Mitchell speaks during an introductory press conference for the 2024 Thunder draft picks at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, June, 29, 2024. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

The NBA's summertime block party came to an end for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday when they downed the Dallas Mavericks on the second night of a back-to-back in the Sin City. This was the Thunder's first win in Vegas in five tries after a 2-1 Salt Lake City session to tip-off their eight-game Summer tour.

Few things in life are more meaningless than the Scoreboard at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion during the NBA Summer League. As players battle for jobs, the last thing on their minds - or the organizations - is who ends up with more points.

The true way to evaluate summer league is through individual performances and attempting to view the production through the scope of the NBA - visualizing what these players could look like on the NBA hardwood.

For Oklahoma City - with respect to the rest of the roster - had a watchful eye on Ousmane Dieng, Dillon Jones, Ajay Mitchell, Adam Flagler and Keyontae Johnson. While the rest of the roster can battle it out for G League chances or even a training camp spot, their NBA potential is relatively mute.

Johnson the lone player on the list not under contract for the OKC Thunder this coming season as he remains an unrestricted free agent after being selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the organization.

In this exhibition slate the Thunder's rookies - Mitchell and Jones - showed true NBA flashes appearing poised with the ball in their hands and better than advertised on defense.

Flagler who is entering his second year on a two-way contract continued to show NBA-level shooting abilities and improved playmaking. As he distances himself from his knee injury suffered hours before the 2023 NBA Draft, he improves mightily defensively.

While Dieng reverted back to some old habits in his Summer League opener, the last two games of his three-game Summer Stretch put on display the improvements that made him the NBA G League Finals MVP.

This all adds up to a successful Summer League stint for the Oklahoma City Thunder as they transition into what little down time there is in the NBA offseason.

Stiles Points

• Chet Holmgren discussed what he learned in his first postseason stint on the latest episode of the Road Trippin' Podcast
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was able to impress in Team Canada's exhibition clash with Team France as a tune-up for Olympic group stage play.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder have consistently been pegged as the second-best team in the NBA this offseason.
• With Summer League wrapped up the attention turns fully to Olympic play and the WNBA to get hoop heads through until October.

Song of the Day: Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

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