Three Takeaways from the OKC Thunder's Final Summer League Contest

Oklahoma City notched its first win of the summer in Las Vegas on Saturday night, topping the Dallas Mavericks in the final game on the Summer League.

Oct 9, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Keyontae Johnson (18) / Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder played its final Summer League game of the year on Saturday night, taking down the Dallas Mavericks 88-79 for the squad's first victory in Las Vegas.

That's a wrap on Summer League ✔️ pic.twitter.com/Wr0GkC21S8

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) July 21, 2024

OKC was 0-4 heading into the matchup after sitting Ousmane Dieng for the entire Las Vegas Summer League in addition to resting Ajay Mitchell, Dillon Jones and Adam Flagler for multiple games as well after all four of the aforementioned players had good showings in the Salt Lake City Summer League.

Despite the Thunder's Summer League team being without its four best players, Oklahoma City was still able to secure a victory on Saturday night.

Here are three takeaways from OKC's final Summer League game.

G League players show out

Three players who spent the 2023-24 season with the Oklahoma City Blue; Keyontae Johnson, Jaden Shackelford and Hunter Maldonado all had solid showings on Saturday night.

Johnson, who started for OKC, and Shackelford, who came off the bench, were the team's leading scorers against Dallas with 20 points apiece. Johnson added nine rebounds, six assists and one block to his statline while shooting 8-of-16 from the field and turning the ball over just one time.

In nearly 29 minutes of action, Shackelford also tallied six assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block in addition to knocking down four 3-pointers against the Mavericks.

Finally, Maldonado didn't shoot the ball very well on Saturday, but still showed his versatility and ability to contribute to wins in multiple ways. The second-year Wyoming product recorded nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal in the victory.

Leons flashes

After wrapping up a five-year college career that saw Malevy Leons play his final three seasons at Bradley, the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year was a member of OKC's Summer League squad.

Until the Thunder's final game against the Mavericks, Leons hadn't seen much time on the floor, but made the most of his opportunity on Saturday night.

Despite going 3-of-11 from the field, Leons did knock down a triple and went 4-of-4 from the free throw line, indicating he could potentially develop into a better shooter. Even with a poor shooting performance, Leons still notched 11 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocks.

With his defensive prowess and potential to develop as a shooter, Leons may have earned himself a spot on the Oklahoma City Blue.

Does Mitchell deserve another look?

Former Kentucky, West Virginia, Texas and Massachusetts forward Tre Mitchell also flashed against Dallas on Saturday night.

Mitchell only took three shots, but still went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, not a bad showing for a 6-foot-9 forward. In 15 minutes on the floor, the Pittsburgh, PA, product recorded eight points, two rebounds and one block.

In college, Mitchell showed the ability to be a decent passer, averaging a career-high 2.6 assists per game with the Wildcats in 2023-24.

While he didn't play much in the Summer League, Mitchell's size and passing ability could make him a good fit in the Thunder organization, likely with the Oklahoma City Blue. Additionally, if Mitchell has found his rhythm as a shooter, he could develop into a skilled forward who fits the organization's offensive system.

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