On the Radar: This week's schedule
Nada. Summer ball is over. The great Thunder salary shedding of 2026: complete. And the biggest free agency saga has run its course: the Nuggets matched OKC's offer to restricted free agent Spencer Jones.
Clickbait, AI slop, and gambling enragement bait will fill your social media algorithm if you let it. Stay tuned to Daily Thunder for original writing, a massive offseason/salary cap update with fantasy GM tools to play with, and all the stories that trickle out between now and the preseason.
Spencer Jones and Cap War
The Jones signing (2 years, $12MM) was a fun challenge move by Sam Presti to Denver's front office--putting their rival on the clock for crossing the second apron before the Peyton Watson deal is resolved. Jones had some fun, too, adding to the AI fake jersey canon by posting himself in a Thunder uniform. Thunder fans had some fun making peace with the loss of Dort, and the lack of a wing addition, by talking themselves into Jones' 3&D profile and horrific shooting form. Brandon's tweet sent one Redditor into iHart/Caruso euphoria.
But the fun is over. For us and for Denver.
If the Nuggets retain Watson, they'll be staring down a tax bill even bigger than OKC's $300 million projection before Presti dealt Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins. Josh Kroenke is a willing cost-cutter, and recently signaled his displeasure with the Nuggets' disappointing playoff exit and expensive roster. But even if they part with Watson, Kroenke will be paying more for a lesser Denver team around Nikola Jokic than Clay Bennett and the Thunder ownership group will be paying to keep Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's squad title-ready in 2026-27.
At least for now. The final payroll and tax penalties don't lock in until after the season, so the trade deadline looms as always for teams like Denver to duck taxes or stay the course. But thanks to the Jones signing, they're already stuck with the cap limitations of the second apron.
As I've preached all summer, I'd rather have 15 rotation players fit for a contender than extra money in the owners' back pocket, unusable trade exceptions, and useless cap flexibility. Presti has done well while boxed into non-basketball decision-making, and I expect more development successes to bolster the still-deep, still-young OKC roster this season. Until then, we'll be talking more about off-court math than on-court performance.
Thunder Bolts
The Daily Thunder Podcast and Transcript: The Presti Call:
Saturday Morning Cartoons: Erstwhile Thunder vs. Erstwhile Laker
Ayo Big Talk on the options ahead for Denver and OKC:
Mark Daigneault joins Gonzaga's Mark Few and others as assistant coaches for Team USA in 2028. Good signs for America (and Chet).
Thunder shooting coach Chip Engelland was poached by the Rockets.
Aday Mara will play for Spain in two August games.
Michael Scotto (HoopsHype) says the Lakers, Heat, Raptors, and Nets had interest in Dort.
Marc Stein and Jake Fischer are hearing that Cason Wallace could fetch more than Dyson Daniels' four-year, $100MM extension.
Ben Golliver (ESPN) has Mara as the most disappointing Summer League rookie: "Don't overreact yet: Mara excelled when surrounded by NBA-caliber players at the University of Michigan, and he is set to join the league's most talented roster in Oklahoma City."
Zach Kram (ESPN) gives OKC a C+ for their offsesaon: "Oklahoma City's new deal with Isaiah Hartenstein – $75 million over three years, replacing a $28.5 million team option for 2026-27 – was sneakily one of the best of the offseason, given the high-priced contracts for other centers. But the Thunder's other roster maneuvers were all about cost savings..."
Support independent media. Thank you for keeping Daily Thunder free of clickbait, pop-ups, and gambling influence.
Free subscriber access
Read on with a free subscription
Get posts by email and unlock full original articles from the OG Thunder blog.
Tip / support DT