Over the offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder has been an anomaly. Whether it’d be their potential trade-up options, draft-day acquisitions, or recent pick-ups, pinning down the franchise’s next move has been a tough test. The biggest question mark, however, rested on forward Gabriel Deck. Now, Deck’s perplexing puzzle has been solved, and the end result has him back in Bricktown.
As first reported by Team Tortu Deck via Twitter, Gabriel Deck is headed to Oklahoma City in preparation for preseason play. Team Tortu Deck is an Argentinian-based Twitter account operated and managed by Deck’s communication team.
The official indication of Deck’s return to Oklahoma City puts an end to a three-month-long goose chase in which nobody could pin down the forward’s whereabouts.
Deck’s $3.6 million contract for the 2021-22 season will become fully-guaranteed following September 20. Barring a one-eighty, the 6-foot-8 forward’s arrival to Bricktown should confirm his relationship with the Thunder will extend into the regular-season.
Gabriel Deck, age 26, wrapped his rookie campaign clocking in with averages of 8.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting a shaky 13.3 percent from distance on 1.5 tries a game. Deck’s stats, specifically from downtown, came with a caveat as he played a mere 10 games with the Thunder, though he did show a myriad of skills in his brief stint on the roster.
Presuming Deck makes the Thunder’s final 15-man roster, he will be in competition with names in Lu Dort, Darius Bazley, Aleksej Pokusevski, Isaiah Roby, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl among others for playing time at the forward positions.