Top OKC Blue "Call-Up" Contenders Under Hardship Exception for Thunder

With the Oklahoma City Thunder in need of a 10-day signing, a collection of Oklahoma City Blue members could garner an opportunity at the next level.

Through a month-long stretch of franchises losing players to the masses, the Oklahoma City Thunder made it to Christmas yet to contract any positive COVID cases. However; Boxing Day left a lump of coal in the organization’s stocking – netting two players on the positive list in Darius Bazley and Tre Mann.

In conjunction with league policies, the absences of Bazley and Mann will force the Thunder’s hand, now being required to sign one “replacement” player under a 10-day hardship exception, while also having the option to ink an additional piece for 10 days.

When looking at Sam Presti’s options, scouring the full extent of the G League rosters could very well be in play. But, with an Oklahoma City Blue roster fresh off a 10-5 record – assessing homegrown talent could be the solution for the franchise’s current injury list.

Here are the top OKC Blue members vying for call-ups:

Melvin Frazier Jr.

Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today

With Sam Presti keen on 3-and-D wings, Frazier Jr. fits the bill for his checklist.

Frazier Jr. has been on the brink of NBA play for the latter part of his career. Following a successful junior year at Tulane, the Orlando Magic swooped up the 6-foot-6 wing with the 35th selection in the 2018 Draft. Post-signing, Frazier Jr.’s skillset had been relegated to the G League – holding the wing back to a lowly 23 NBA appearances across two seasons.

In 13 appearances with the Blue this season, Frazier Jr. has placed a bounceback year, tallying averages of 11.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. In his 22.1-minute cut, the 25-year-old has shot 39.2% from distance on 3.4 attempts a night.

Frazier Jr.’s 6-foot-6 frame, coupled with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, has made the wing a defensive nightmare for shooting guards and small forwards to this point, and with 1.3 steals per game – there’s proof to the pudding. In addition, Frazier Jr.’s promising catch-and-shoot play has made him a two-way threat, highlighted by a 27-point outing in his second start.

Frazier Jr. won’t wow audiences with posterizer finishes or an ankle-breaking handle, but the wing provides low-maintenance production that every team could use more of. With a solid foundation of the defensive end, a reputable three-ball, and a growing role as a cutter, a 10-day flyer from Presti would be right up his alley. With high praise for “3-and-D” prospects and a do-it-all piece in Kenrich Williams on hand, trying to materialize another Swiss-Army knife could be in the conversation.

In his last two seasons post-Orlando, Frazier Jr. has latched onto a bench role for the Oklahoma City Blue – and he’s begun to climb the franchise’s rungs.

Frazier Jr. has been much of an enigma in the Blue’s time in the bubble as the wing played in just two-thirds of games, but as of recent, the former Green Wave has been given the green light within the Blue’s system.

Rob Edwards

Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today

With polarizing stat lines, Edwards comes from a different breed of potential call-ups, but if Oklahoma City is in search of scoring – they’ve found their guy.

After four collegiate years across Cleveland State and Arizona State, the Blue selected Edwards in the second round of last season’s G League Draft. In Edwards’ time with the Blue, the 24-year-old has risen to a top option off the bench.

In Edwards’ 28 G League appearances, the 6-foot-5 guard has notched 20 double-digit appearances while playing under 25 minutes on 18-of-20 occasions. Through 15 games this year, the ASU alum has averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across 21.2 minutes.

Edwards’ claim to fame rests in his jumper. After posting a team-high 44-percent clip from downtown last season, he’s remained poised this year for a 33.7 rate on 6.7 launches per game. In the fastbreak, Edwards has hounded opponents with a hallmarked left-wing pull-up, while in the halfcourt, he’s been able to take defenders off-the-dribble for stepback opportunities and drives.

Over the offseason, the 24-year-old’s scoring ability took the main stage, logging two 23-point outings in two Summer League games with the Thunder. Plus, in a four-minute preseason bid, the guard nailed back-to-back triples. Needless to say, Edwards posts his points in bunches.

For a Thunder group at full-strength, taking on Rob Edwards could initially be seen as a farfetched acquisition, as with eight guards on roster, and two ball-heavy guards in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey at the helm – finding opportunities for the 24-year-old would be minimal. However, with Tre Mann’s current outage from play, Edwards would be a tantalizing replacement as a backcourt shot creator, as with his wide-net of scoring ability, coupled with a sound catch-and-shoot play, he could add an extra kick off the bench.

Jaylen Hoard

Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today

Unlike previous mentions, bringing Jaylen Hoard onto Thunder ranks would be no major jump for the forward – as it would not be his first rodeo.

Following a five-star grade in the class of 2018, Hoard elected to stay close to home for a one-and-done season with Wake Forest. However, after going undrafted he inked a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. A season later he found himself on the Blue’s bubble roster, then after following 15 games of playing as Aleksej Pokusevski’s understudy, Hoard signed a two-way contract with the Thunder last season, filling the void left from Moses Brown’s contract conversion.

In Hoard’s 19 appearances with the Thunder, the forward tallied averages of 6.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists across a 16.8-minute palate. On five occasions, Hoard netted double-figures in scoring, placing 16 points and 5 boards in his largest effort.

Hoard’s agility at the power forward position has placed himself into a multi-positional role while under the Thunder’s wraps. As a result, his 6-foot-8 frame has stood the test against the majority of threes and fours in the last season of play.

As for his offensive abilities, Hoard has a sneaky handle that can place him in the penetration game, putting him in play for his strongest strength – getting to the line. As a slasher, Hoard has been a foul magnet for the majority of his career, bumping into defenders for the whistle. The downside with this, Hoard’s shaky shooting from distance (28.6% 3PT) coupled with shaky free-throw shooting (70.6 FT%) has pitted him into an funky spot where the catch-and-shoot has been difficult to surface while foul shots have come short in efficiency.

If the Thunder are looking for a short-term fix familiarized with the system, tacking on Hoard for his second-year of stay would not be a terrible option. With a high motor, prior history of production, and a rotation absent of Bazley, the 22-year-old could fill in the gashes.

Honorable Mention: Zavier Simpson

Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today

Captain Hook has more than earned his stripes in his two seasons with the Blue, and with a Winter Showcase Cup that saw the guard average career numbers in 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 3.3 steals – the former Wolverine showed up on the big stage.

Simpson's passing IQ has hit an NBA level as the 24-year-old has perfected both pick-and-roll reads and kick outs while his penetration game has also harvested a slew of layups and post hooks. However, with Simpson's six-foot frame, a loaded Thunder backcourt, and a dicey 30.3% career hit rate from distance, the guard's best destination probably rests outside of Bricktown.

Don't be fooled though, Simpson can play. 

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