OKC Thunder: 3 Contracts that the Thunder need to offload this summer
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2018/19 season with the belief that they could compete for a first NBA title. After all, OKC had secured the long-term future of Paul George, and Sam Presti also managed to vastly improve the team's reserve unit.
Following a regular season filled with ups and downs, the Thunder finished 6th, and OKC had the fortune to avoid early postseason matchups against both Houston and Golden State. Instead, OKC faced Portland in the first-round -- a team that they had swept during the regular season.
Nevertheless, despite everything seemingly falling into place, the Thunder once again suffered a first-round exit for the third year in a row. A 4-1 series defeat to Portland demonstrated that the current roster is not good enough to compete, and Sam Presti is likely to make changes this summer.
As with recent offseasons, cap space remains an obstacle, and here we will look at three high earners that should make way.
#3 Patrick Patterson
Patrick Patterson's arrival back in 2017 was heralded as an excellent piece of business by Sam Presti. The 30-year-old had impressed during his four-year spell with the Toronto Raptors, and before the addition of Carmelo Anthony, Patterson was tipped to be a starter.
However, due to the newly formed 'OK3' Patterson dropped to the reserve unit, and during his debut season, he averaged 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game. This was not a disastrous return, but Patterson's minutes and production plummeted during the 18/19 season.
The power forward shot just 37% from the field, and Patterson failed to get onto the court during the Thunder's first-round exit to the Trail Blazers.
Patterson has a $5,711,200 player option for the 2019/20 campaign, and due to the unlikelihood that he will get a similar deal elsewhere, he looks certain to opt in. With little cap space available, the Thunder need to do everything in their power to offload Patterson's costly deal.