Thunder Summer League: Three Takeaways

After five games in NBA Summer League, there’s a few key things that can be taken away from the Thunder’s performances.

After going 2-3 in NBA Summer League, the Oklahoma City Thunder will now head into training camp. With the 2021-22 season just over two months away, there’s still quite a bit of work to be done.

With that in mind, there’s a few key takeaways from summer league that should be considered going forward. As they continue their rebuild, the Thunder are headed in the right direction.

Let's dive into three takeaways from Oklahoma City’s summer league stint.

---

READ MORE:

Summer League Journal: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl Part 2

Top Performers from Oklahoma City's 95-61 Loss to the Pacers

---

Young Center Still Needed

With veteran Derrick Favors being the only true center on the Thunder’s 15-man roster, there was speculation that they might bring a center into their summer league roster to develop and bolster the depth at that position. However, they went to Las Vegas without a true center on the team, which was detrimental at times.

The closest thing to a center that played significant minutes in NBA Summer League was Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who’s only 6-foot-9 and more of a forward. With that in mind, it’s only become more evident that OKC needs to find a young center over the next year or two who can be their big of the future.

Theo Maledon Has Improved

The leader of the Thunder summer league roster was Theo Maledon, who did a great job all week. He averaged 9.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. What’s most promising is how comfortable he looked on the floor, limiting his turnovers which was one of his biggest issues as a rookie.

Irrespective of his on court play, Maledon has already built upon his frame over the last few months. Both the visible muscle he’s built and how it's translated to his on-court play and using it to his advantage, his body is much more NBA-ready heading into year two.

Tre Mann Is Most Fun Prospect

He only played in two games in NBA Summer League, but Tre Mann was a walking highlight reel for OKC. Whether it was crossing defenders over, stepping back for a tough shot or finishing with finesse around the rim, he established himself as perhaps the most fun rookie prospect for the upcoming season.

He finished the summer averaging 9.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. His shots weren’t falling, but he’s still proven to be one the most exciting exciting players on the Thunder roster, regardless of age.

---

Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the message board community today!

Like SI Thunder on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news.