Oklahoma City Thunder Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Thunder Notes: Caruso, Daigneault, Alexander-Walker, Finals Odds

June 1st, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Alex Caruso is the only Thunder player who has been to the NBA Finals, but he didn’t get the full experience, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Although Caruso was a member of the title-winning Lakers team in 2020, the end of that season and the entire playoffs took place in a closed setting at Disney World in Orlando. That meant no fans, no travel and nothing to match the excitement that will be in the air when this year’s Finals get underway Thursday night in Oklahoma City.

“The Finals in the bubble still had the tangible feel of a Finals,” Caruso said. “You knew what was up for grabs. That adrenaline before the game, obviously, I don’t think it would probably be the same adrenaline level that you feel with fans, just being on the other side of it now. But understanding what’s at stake was still very apparent.”

Caruso was in his third NBA season during that COVID-interrupted campaign. Now 31, he’s the oldest player on an OKC team that’s the second-youngest to reach the Finals in the past 70 years. Considering the Thunder’s dominance throughout the season — 80-18 overall and 43-7 on their home court — Caruso doesn’t believe he’ll have to inspire his teammates for the challenge ahead.

“You don’t have to do anything special. You just have to be who we are,” he said. “That’s worked for us throughout this whole year. So, I’m just continuing to emphasize with the guys, just do what we’ve done all year. Compete at a high level, play together, play as a team. When we do that, we’re pretty good.”

There’s more from Oklahoma City:

The Thunder wrapped up the Western Conference title last Wednesday and will have been off for more than a full week by the time the NBA Finals start on Thursday, notes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. It’s the second extended break of the playoffs for OKC, and coach Mark Daigneault is working to keep his players in the right mindset. “You don’t want to be so wise that you’re overcautious,” he said. “You don’t want to be so confident that you’re overconfident. You kind of have to hold those two things, the confidence and the urgency or the wisdom. You have to hold those things in balance.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker could be a perfect offseason addition for the Thunder if they can work out a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves, contends Michael Stamps of Sports Illustrated. The free agent guard is the cousin of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and they play together on the Canadian national team.
The Thunder are heavy betting favorites heading into the NBA Finals, according to an ESPN story. Oklahoma City has -750 odds to be the next NBA champion, while Indiana is listed at +525.

Latest On Suns’ Head Coaching Search

May 31st, 2025 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have now completed in-person interviews with Sean Sweeney, Jordan Ott, Johnnie Bryant, and Chris Quinn as they evaluate candidates for their head coaching vacancy, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Marc Stein (Substack link) confirms Gambadoro’s report, noting that those interviews took place this week and were run by new general manager Brian Gregory.

Thunder assistant Dave Bliss remains under consideration for Phoenix’s head coaching job as well, but with Oklahoma City headed to the NBA Finals, the Suns haven’t been able to bring him in for an in-person meeting. An interview with Bliss would probably have to take place in OKC, Stein notes.

Sweeney, Ott, Bryant, Quinn, and Bliss were identified earlier in the week as the remaining contenders for the Suns’ open position. One subsequent report indicated that Suns assistant and former NBA head coach David Fizdale was also still in the mix, but neither Gambadoro nor Stein mentions him, so that report remains unconfirmed.

It’s believed that the Suns will pick a smaller group of finalists – likely just two candidates – who will meet face-to-face with team owner Mat Ishbia next week, Stein reports.

According to Stein, Suns star Devin Booker has “had a level of involvement” in this stage of interviews, which backs up the club’s repeated assertions that its plan is continue building around Booker going forward. While all three Phoenix stars have been the subject of trade speculation in recent months, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are considered far more likely to actually end up on the trade block this summer.

Speaking of Durant, the fact that the Suns are trending toward hiring a first-time head coach has only increased the league-wide belief that KD is a strong candidate to be dealt this offseason, Stein writes. However, he cautions that Durant may not actually reach the trade market until there’s clarity on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to stay in Milwaukee or seek a change of scenery.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Jordan, Thunder

May 30th, 2025 at 9:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Nuggets are looking to rebuild their depth after losing several key free agents in recent years, such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, while certain signings – such as Reggie Jackson and Dario Saric – have proved unsuccessful. Bennett Durando of the Denver Post breaks down some of the potential options they could look at in free agency as they seek to create another title-contending roster.

The first name Durando looks at is a former Nugget: Bruce Brown. Brown left the Nuggets for a two-year balloon deal with the Pacers in 2023, and was included in Indiana’s trade for Pascal Siakam the following season. He split this season between Raptors and Pelicans, but only played 41 games due to injury.

Brown is still a fan favorite in Denver, Durando writes, and posted about the Nuggets hiring head coach David Adelman on his Instagram story. It’s believed that there is mutual interest between the two parties moving forward.

Durando also mentions Chris Boucher, whom the Nuggets looked at prior to this year’s trade deadline. Boucher averaged 10.0 points in 17.2 minutes per game for the Raptors this season while shooting 36.3% from three, and could make for an interesting backup center, a position where the Nuggets desperately need depth.

The other options cited by Durando are Tyus Jones, Larry Na nce Jr., Jake LaRavia, Dennis Schröder, Justin Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, Luke Kennard, Clint Capela, and Mason Plumlee.

We have more from around the Northwest Division:

DeAndre Jordan, the Nuggets‘ current backup center, took to Instagram to thank Denver fans after wrapping up his 17th year in the NBA, notes Denver Gazette’s Vinny Benedetto (via Twitter). “Can’t say enough how grateful I am for this team, this city, and everyone who supported us along the way. Playing this game never gets old, and doing it with this group made it even more meaningful,” he wrote, before adding “This isn’t a retirement post!” Jordan is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer.
“These guys are uncommon,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said of his team, as reported by The Athletic’s Sam Amick. Part of that is the youthful exuberance the club displays after the final whistle blows, which Amick likens to a college program. However, there’s nothing playful about the Thunder’s approach during the game. Their ferociousness on the floor, combined with the genuine joy the players appear to feel for each other, marks it as a model of sustainable competitive team-building. “It makes sense. They’re great people first. That’s why it’s so easy to coach this team,” Daigneault said. That’s why Amick believes that this Thunder team is here for the long haul.
There are striking similarities to this Thunder team and the rise of the Warriors dynasty, writes ESPN’s Zach Kram. Both teams feature a 26-year-old MVP guard leading a team to nearly 70 wins en route to winning the Western Conference in five games, and both were largely built through shrewd drafting of heady, versatile players who could impact the game on both ends of the floor. For Golden State, that meant Klay Thompson and Draymond Green complementing Stephen Curry‘s greatness. For the Thunder, it means Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren supplementing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s dominance. Both teams added a versatile, dominant defender via trade: the Warriors acquired Andre Igoudala while the Thunder traded for Alex Caruso, and they both had smart rim protectors who could be taken off the floor when the team wanted to go small (Andrew Bogut and Isaiah Hartenstein, respectively). The Warriors eventually added Kevin Durant to complete the dynasty. While the Thunder might not have that opportunity, they do have one of the biggest stockpiles of draft assets to trade in the league, so it’s not entirely out of the question. The important part is: both teams were built to last.

And-Ones: 2025 Draft, Withdrawals, Finals, Scariolo

May 30th, 2025 at 12:10pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have updated their big board of this year’s top 100 draft-eligible prospects.

There are no surprises at the very top of their list, with Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and V.J. Edgecombe continuing to hold the first four spots. However, there’s plenty of movement elsewhere in the first round, with Noa Essengue (No. 14 to 9), Carter Bryant (No. 20 to 12), Maxime Raynaud (No. 35 to 24) among the biggest risers since ESPN last updated its big board.

Conversely, Kasparas Jakucionis (No. 7 to 10), Derik Queen (No. 10 to 13), and Jase Richardson (No. 13 to 20) are among the prospects who were projected as lottery picks in ESPN’s previous update and have slipped a few spots this time around.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

An ESPN panel consisting of Givony, Woo, and college basketball insider Jeff Borzello evaluates how this month’s early entrant decisions have impacted the NCAA landscape, identifying which programs benefited most or were hit hardest by the decisions made before Wednesday’s withdrawal deadline. Givony, Woo, and Borzello also single out a few players who look poised to boost their draft stock for 2026 after returning to school, including Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford and Houston’s Joseph Tugler.
If Indiana beats New York once more to win the Eastern Conference Finals, it would be the first NBA Finals since the luxury tax was implemented in which neither team is a taxpayer, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Both the Thunder and Pacers stayed below the tax this season, whereas every other NBA Finals since 2003 (with the exception of 2005, when a lack of basketball-related income resulted in no luxury taxes) has featured at least one taxpaying team.
Sergio Scariolo, a former Raptors assistant and the current head coach of the Spanish national team, is interviewing for a position with an NBA team, reports Alex Molina of Eurohoops. The identity of that NBA team is unclear, but the interview is presumably for an assistant coaching role, since the Suns are the only team with a head coaching vacancy and are already in their third round of interviews.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Named Western Conference Finals MVP

May 29th, 2025 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was unanimously named the Most Valuable Player of the Western Conference Finals following Wednesday’s series win over Minnesota, earning all nine votes from a panel of media members (Twitter link).

Gilgeous-Alexander, who was also the NBA’s regular season MVP for 2024/25, averaged 31.4 points, 8.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 36.4 minutes per game across five games vs. the Timberwolves.

While his 45.7% field goal percentage and 31.8% mark on three-pointers were both well below his usual rates, the 26-year-old was the engine of Oklahoma City’s offense and was a +43 during his 182 minutes of action in the third-round series.

Jalen Williams (22.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 2.0 SPG, .494/.462/.833 shooting) and Chet Holmgren (18.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 BPG, .567/.368/.714 shooting) also had big series for the Thunder, fueling a dominant all-around performance that sends the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance since 2012.

The conference final MVP is a relatively new award, having been introduced by the league in 2022. Stephen Curry won the inaugural award in 2022, followed by Nikola Jokic in 2023 and Luka Doncic in 2024.

The player who is named the Western Finals MVP receives the Magic Johnson trophy.

Wolves Notes: Game 5, Conley, Edwards, Randle, Defense

May 28th, 2025 at 7:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves understand what’s at stake as they prepare for tonight’s Game 5 in Oklahoma City, writes Cassidy Hettesheimer of The Star Tribune (subscription required). Minnesota narrowly missed a chance to tie the series on Monday, which means three straight wins will now be necessary to reach the NBA Finals. Two of those will have to come at the Paycom Center, where the Thunder won by 26 and 15 points to open the series.

“We’re just trying to get another home game and trying to play in front of our home crowd again,” Donte DiVincenzo said. “Everybody has counted us out all year. We’ve been through a lot. We’re together as a locker room. We don’t care what the media is going to say.”

This is the second straight year the Wolves have reached the Western Conference Finals, and Hettesheimer notes that they were expected to be in a better position this time. Last year, Minnesota was exhausted after coming off a seven-game series with Denver and lost to Dallas in five games. This time, the Nuggets took OKC to seven games while the Wolves had time to rest after a five-game series with Golden State. Despite that, Minnesota is back in the same position, staring at a 3-1 deficit.

Jaden McDaniels believes the key to Game 5 will be getting off to a fast start and not letting the Thunder build up momentum in front of their fans.

“At home, they start super well, so we’ve just got to [slow] their little run at the beginning,” he said. “We’ve got to play tougher, playing stronger and just hold them to one shot.”

There’s more on the Wolves:

Veteran guard Mike Conley is counting on Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle to bounce back after subpar performances in Game 4, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). OKC’s swarming defense held Edwards to 16 points on 5-of- 13 shooting and Randle to five points on a 1-of-7 night. “We need our best guys to be our best guys,” Conley said.
Randle seems to have found a home in Minnesota, which is the fourth stop in his 11-year career, McMenamin observes in a full story. He notes that the surprise trade that sent Randle to the Wolves in October reunited him with head coach Chris Finch, who was an assistant in New Orleans earlier in Randle’s career, and he has bonded with president of basketball operations Tim Connelly over their shared love of cuisine. Randle’s comfort level could become important this summer, as he holds a $30.1MM player option and may be interested in a long-term contract.
The most disappointing part of Minnesota’s performance in the two conference finals has been the failure of its vaunted defense, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. The Wolves weren’t able to control Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving last year, and the Thunder are averaging 115.3 points through the first four games of this series.

Suns Pare Down List Of Coaching Candidates To Five

May 28th, 2025 at 7:00am CST by Dana Gauruder

May 28: In addition to confirming Quinn, Bryant, Ott, and Sweeney as finalists, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) reports that Bliss is moving to the next round of interviews as well.

Gambadoro confirms that the Suns are advancing five candidates to the final round of the search process, with Bliss still in the mix (Twitter links).

May 27: The Suns have whittled their list of candidates for their head coaching job.

According to Phoenix radio reporter John Gambadoro (Twitter link), there are four finalists for the position, with Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Cavaliers assistants Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott among that group.

The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin, citing multiple league sources, also hears that Quinn and Ott are among the likely finalists along with Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, with Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori also a possibility.

Sweeney is headed to Phoenix for an in-person interview on Wednesday, Gambadoro confirms (via Twitter).

The Suns are looking to replace Mike Budenholzer, who only lasted one disappointing season on the job. Budenholzer was hired after Frank Vogel, another coach with a championship on his resume, was let go after one season.

The Suns are the only team in search of a head coach. Gambadoro reported on Sunday that Phoenix’s brass had already conducted second interviews with nine candidates for the position, mainly via Zoom. Suns assistant David Fizdale, Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Nets assistant Steve Hetzel and Thunder assistant Dave Bliss were the other reported candidates.

Thunder Notes: Williams, Postseason Experience, Sanders, SGA

May 27th, 2025 at 8:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Named to the All-NBA Third Team last week, Thunder forward Jalen Williams delivered an offensive gem in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday. He posted a postseason career-high 34 points in the 128-126 victory over the Timberwolves, giving OKC a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Williams went 13-of-24 from the field, including 6-of-9 from 3-point range. He had 13 points and four turnovers when his team got blown out in Game 3.

“I feel like if you’re not really good, you’re probably not going to have any [scrutiny], so just play with it, just keep going,” Williams said, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “A lot of people that are talking about me can’t do what I do, and I know that, and I think that gives me a lot of confidence to just go out there and do whatever the team needs.”

We have more on the Thunder:

Oklahoma City has found different ways to get it done in this postseason, Tony Jones of The Athletic notes. The Thunder have been a great regular-season team for two years but this is the first time they’ve also become a great playoff team, according to Jones. In Game 4, they held off numerous Timberwolves runs. “I thought we did a good job of continuously moving the scoreboard,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “We especially did that late in the game, when there were situations down the stretch where it was a possession game. I thought the guys did a great job, taking it a possession at a time.”
While they’re five wins away from a championship, the Thunder are also busy preparing for the future. They have scheduled a pre-draft workout with Kobe Sanders, a 6’7” guard, Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated tweets. Sanders averaged 15.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals last season for Nevada. Sanders is ranked No. 69 on ESPN’s big board.
MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker are cousins and best friends. They’re now competing against each other for a trip to the Finals. “For both of us to be where we are is special, and to compete against each other is even more special,” Gilgeous-Alexander told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears within an in-depth feature on their relationship. “But I am trying to take his head off for sure, completely.”

Knicks Notes: Towns, Robinson, Hartenstein, Wright, Anunoby

May 27th, 2025 at 4:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Karl-Anthony Towns rescued the Knicks from the abyss with 20 fourth-quarter points against the Pacers. What will the Knicks get from their top big man the remainder of the Eastern Conference Finals?

The Athletic’s Fred Katz explores that subject as the teams head into Game 4 this evening. He speculates that the Pacers, who have mainly used Myles Turner as the primary defender on Towns, might try a smaller defender in that matchup. Katz notes that the Pistons and Celtics used perimeter players to get under Towns’ skin and force him to take some ill-advised shots.

We have more on the Knicks:

Mitchell Robinson was inserted into the starting lineup in Game 3. Despite his free throw issues, Robinson has been a major factor in the postseason after missing a good chunk of the regular season while recovering from ankle surgery. “He’s been very, very impactful for them since he’s been back,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, per Chris Herring of ESPN. “He gives them a lot of versatility, and his ability to switch onto smaller players is special for a guy his size. He’s a major factor, and a guy we’ve been talking about a lot.”
Isaiah Hartenstein believes his departure in free agency to the Thunder last season actually benefited the Knicks and Timberwolves as well. “It’s funny when you see all three teams, I think for everyone it was a win-win,” Hartenstein told SNY’s Ian Begley. Hartenstein’s departure and Robinson’s injury convinced the Knicks to roll the dice and trade for Towns. Julius Randle has been inconsistent in the conference finals but excelled during the first two rounds of the playoffs for Minnesota.
Coach Tom Thibodeau made a bold substitution in Game 3, deploying little-used guard Delon Wright for his first rotation minutes of the postseason. Though he only had one basket and one assist, Wright played a pivotal defensive role as the Knicks whittled a 13-point deficit down to three before being subbed out. “Just a true professional,” forward Mikal Bridges said, per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. “Works hard every single day and got his name called and he’s ready for the moment.”
Normally reticent, OG Anunoby displayed his passion and even did a little trash talking in Game 3. They’ll need more fire from Anunoby the remainder of the series, Schwartz opines in a separate story.

Thunder Notes: Edwards, Dort, Caruso, Lineup, Depth

May 26th, 2025 at 6:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Slowing down Anthony Edwards would go a long way toward the Thunder gaining a commanding 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals on Monday. NBA.com’s Shaun Powell breaks down four potential strategies to achieve that goal against the Timberwolves’ superstar guard.

That includes playing Luguentz Dort straight up against Edwards; providing backup to Dort with another defensive ace, Alex Caruso; forcing Edwards to give up the ball as much as possible; and sealing off the paint to prevent dribble drives. But there’s only so much anyone can do, Caruso admits.

“These All-NBA, All-Star players, not one person is going to shut them down for the game,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re early, in the spots we’re supposed to be, and stay anticipatory. That’s because he’s strong and athletic and can get there before we’re ready. When he does that, it’s in his favor.”

Here’s more on the Thunder:

Should they make a lineup adjustment? Sports Illustrated’s Rylan Stiles believes so. He thinks they should downsize by moving defensive stalwart and play-finishing guard Cason Wallace into the lineup with Isaiah Hartenstein coming off the bench. Stiles notes that with Wallace sharing the floor with Chet Holmgren as the lone center this postseason, the Thunder have played 238 possessions resulting in a +30.2 net rating.
Dort went undrafted out of Arizona State in 2019 and ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports that one former GM told her the swingman had a poor individual workout in front of several teams that led to questions about his shooting and ball-handling. Still another executive speculated that teams couldn’t decide if he projected as a three-and-D player or a scoring guard. Dort signed a two-way contract with Oklahoma City after that draft and is now a fixture for the Western Conference’s top seed.
During his pregame press conference, coach Mark Daigneault said that he’ll continue to go deep into his bench if it’s warranted, Clemente Almanza of The Thunder Wire tweets. “I’m a big believer in when the game’s not going the way you want it to go, being aggressive and being assertive, not just waiting back, especially with a team like this, you never know when you can find something in those situations,” Daigneault said.