The Oklahoma City Thunder set the tone of their offseason trading away centers Al Horford and Moses Brown in exchange for Kemba Walker and this year’s no. 16 draft pick. Though this move helped elevate Presti’s long-term aspirations, Oklahoma City was left with just one center. After reports on Tuesday — they now have none.
As first reported by Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Oklahoma City Thunder have, according to sources inside The Athletic, opted to decline center Tony Bradley’s qualifying offer, making him set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Had the Thunder picked up his deal, Tony Bradley’s qualifying offer would’ve set back the Thunder $5.2 million.
The decision to part ways with Bradley could’ve easily been a mutual one. Despite Bradley being just 23-years-old, Oklahoma City’s upcoming six selections in Thursday’s draft put a major wrench in a roster already laced with seven guaranteed contracts and non-guaranteed deals in Gabriel Deck, Isaiah Roby, and Kenrich Williams that are too cost-efficient to pass up.
Bradley made his way to Bricktown at the season’s trade deadline as the Philidelphia 76ers sent both himself and two future second-round picks Oklahoma City’s way in exchange for George Hill. In his 22-game stint with the Thunder, Bradley posted career numbers averaging 8.7 points and 6.1 rebounds off a mere 18.0 minutes a contest.
Bradley will get buzz around the free-agent market next month as his solid grasp at finishing below the rim and paving his way into the rebound column should garner himself enough interest for a backup role.
Bradley was last seen Monday, at the University of Texas at Austin, playing pickup games with an ensemble of Thunder and Blue players including (but not limited to) Vit Krejci, Aleksej Pokusevski, Theo Maledon, Jaylen Hoard, Rob Edwards, Josh Hall, Isaiah Roby, and Kenrich Williams.
Oklahoma City will have until August 1 to either pick or decline the team’s other in-season acquisition in Svi Mykhailiuk. Mykhailiuk’s qualifying offer is worth $2.0 million.