Thunder Pick Up Options for Giddey, Mann and Pokusevski

Oklahoma City has picked up contract options for three players key to the future.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have exercised third-year contract options on guards Josh Giddey and Tre Mann, as well as forward Aleksej Pokusevski’s fourth-year contract option, per Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

While all were easy decisions, Giddey, who finished as the Western Conference Rookie of the Month in all but months he was sidelined due to injury, was likely the easiest.

A key piece of the Oklahoma City rebuild alongside guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and No. 2 overall selection Chet Holmgren, Giddey will likely be a mainstay on the OKC squad for a long while.

He played and started in 54 games in his rookies season, averaging 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.

Giddey had an exceptional 2022-23 preseason, and will look to continue improving as a sophomore.

Mann’s option was a likely no-brainer as well. The guard averaged 10.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in around 22 minutes per game, and has already shown tremendous growth in the preseason slate.

Mann is set to see a boost in minutes this season, and will be another key piece of Presti’s plan moving forward.

Rick Osentoski / USA TODAY Sports

While Pokusevski hasn’t done anything statistically to earn his extension, he’s looked much-improved in preseason this year.

He’s playing more within the offense. His shot shows cleaner, flowing mechanics and a wider base. All over the court he’s oozing with more confidence. His defensive versatility has been on full display.

It doesn’t happen overnight, and it still won’t for Pokusevski, who likely now has another hard year ahead of adjusting to a full, consistently rigorous NBA season. But in a few games, the Serbian 7-footer has shown progress, and potentially even more improvement on the horizon.

Oklahoma City now looks to their season opener against the new-look Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

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