On November 11, the Thunder promoted assistant and former Oklahoma City Blue coach Mark Daigneault as their new head coach. At the age of 35, Daigneault was at the time the youngest active head coach in the NBA, after the Minnesota Timberwolves fired third-year head coach Ryan Saunders on February 21, 2021.[2]
The 2020–21 season was the team's first time since 2014–15 missing the playoffs and their first losing season since 2008–09, the team's inaugural season in Oklahoma City. It was also the fourth time under Sam Presti's tenure that the team had missed the playoffs. Power forward Al Horford, who was acquired by the Thunder via trade on December 8, 2020, also missed the playoffs for the first time in his 14-year career.
Previous season
The Thunder finished the 2019–20 season 44–28 to finish in second place in the Northwest Division, fifth in the Western Conference and qualified for the playoffs.
After falling to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2019 NBA playoffs, the Thunder started a rebuilding process following the Paul George and Russell Westbrook trades. In the trades, the Thunder received veteran Chris Paul, promising rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and seven future first-rounders and four pick swaps. Entering the season, the Thunder were predicted to win 32 games with a 33–49 record projected by ESPN. However, Chris Paul led a resurgence season that featured an All-Star birth and led the Thunder to a 44–28 record.[3]
In the bubble, the Thunder faced off against former Thunder Russell Westbrook and the Houston Rockets. During the series, undrafted rookie Luguentz Dort was lauded for his defense on James Harden. In game seven, Dort led the Thunder with a 30-point performance including six threes in a 104–102 loss.[5]
The Thunder had one first-round pick and one second-round pick entering the draft.[6] The Thunder's own first-round pick was conveyed to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Jerami Grant trade back in 2016.[7] The pick was top-20 protected and was conveyed when Mike Muscala hit a game winner against the Miami Heat in the 2019-20 season.[8] The Thunder acquired a first-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in the Jerami Grant trade back in 2020.[9]
The Thunder traded four veterans to start the rebuild.
The Thunder started this offseason to reposition and rebuild for the future after a surprising 2019-20 season that saw a playoff appearance following the trades of Russell Westbrook and Paul George.
On November 16, the Thunder traded All-Star Chris Paul and Abdel Nader to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque, Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio and a 2022 first-round pick.[16] Paul had a resurgent season during the 2019-20 season, reclaiming his reputation as "Point God," taking the Thunder to a surprising playoff appearance in the 2020 NBA Playoffs. The Thunder began the season with a "0.2%" chance to make the playoffs prior to the start of the season. Paul was named an All-Star and was named to All-NBA Second Team for the first time since 2016. Sam Presti worked with Paul's representatives at CAA to allow Paul to his preferred destination.[17]
We want to thank Chris for the contributions he has made to the Thunder and the Oklahoma City community both this season and during his initial tenure in 2005-06 with the Hornets. Chris has been the consummate leader and has left a tremendous legacy in a short period of time. We wish him and Abdel and their families only the best moving forward.[18]
On November 22, the Thunder traded Kelly Oubre Jr., originally acquired from the Suns, to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a protected 2021 first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick via DEN.[25] The first-round pick acquired was top-20 protected by Golden State and will be converted into two second-round picks if not conveyed.[26]
On November 24, the Thunder traded Steven Adams to the New Orleans Pelicans in a four team trade, for George Hill from Milwaukee, Zylan Cheatham from New Orleans, Josh Gray from New Orleans, Darius Miller from New Orleans, Kenrich Williams from New Orleans, a 2023 first-round pick from Denver, a 2023 second-round pick (via WAS) from New Orleans and a 2024 second-round pick (via CHA) from New Orleans.[27] The Thunder also generated a trade exception worth $27.5 million, the largest in NBA history to date.[28] Adams was the longest tenured player on the roster since being drafted back in 2013.
Steven Adams will hold a special place in our organizational legacy. On and off the floor, Steven contributed to our teams and community in unique ways and his place in Thunder history is secured.[29]
— Sam Presti
On December 1 and December 2, the Thunder waived Josh Gray and Zylan Cheatham.[30][31] The same day on November 24, the Thunder signed-and-traded Danilo Gallinari and cash considerations to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for a protected 2025 second-round pick while generating another trade exception worth $19.5 million.[32][33]
On November 25, the Thunder traded Jalen Lecque, originally acquired from the Suns, to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for T. J. Leaf and a 2027 second-round pick.[34] On December 18, the Thunder waived T. J. Leaf.[35] On November 27, the Thunder traded James Johnson, originally acquired from the Timberwolves in a three team trade, for Trevor Ariza from Detroit, Justin Jackson from Dallas, a 2023 second-round pick (best of DAL or MIA) from Dallas and a 2026 second-round pick from Dallas.[36] Ariza would never report to the Thunder while attending to personal issues that kept him out of the 2020 NBA Playoffs.[37]
On December 8, the Thunder traded Terrance Ferguson, Danny Green, originally acquired from the Lakers, and Vincent Poirier, originally acquired from the Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Al Horford, the draft rights to Théo Maledon, the thirty-fourth pick, the draft rights to Vasilije Micić, the fifty-second pick in the 2014 NBA draft, and a 2025 first-round pick.[38] Horford, who signed a four-year, $109 million deal, did not fit with Joel Embiid saw his role diminished and was eventually removed from the starting lineup. Micic was a second-round pick in 2014 was named to a second-team All-EuroLeague selection in 2019.
At the end of offseason, the Thunder accumulated 17 first-round picks through the 2026 NBA draft.[39]
For this offseason, free agency began on November 20, 2020, while the moratorium ended on November 22. Deonte Burton, Danilo Gallinari, Devon Hall, Kevin Hervey, Nerlens Noel and Andre Roberson were set to hit free agency. On September 21, Kevin Hervey signed a contract with the Russian team Lokomotiv Kuban of the VTB United League.[40] Hervey was originally set to reach free agency in fall but the Thunder let him out of his contract early to be lined up with an international team.[41] On November 20, it was reported that Danilo Gallinari agreed to a three-year, $61.5 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks, which he later signed on November 24.[42] The Thunder negotiated a sign-and-trade deal to acquire a protected 2025 second-round pick and generating a trade exception.[43] On November 21, it was reported that Nerlens Noel agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Knicks, which he later signed on November 25.[44] Burton, Hall and Roberson who were not re-signed, joined the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League, Brose Bamberg and the Brooklyn Nets respectively.
After the Thunder's defeat in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, head coach Billy Donovan and the Thunder mutually agreed to part ways on September 8, 2020, after five seasons with the team. Donovan was named head coach of the Thunder on April 30, 2015, taking over for Scott Brooks after the 2014-15 season. Donovan accumulated a 243-157 (.608) record with playoff appearances in each season, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs.[46] Donovan was also named co-recipient of the 2020 NBCA Coach of the Year.[47]
On November 11, the Thunder hired Mark Daigneault, an assistant since last season, as head coach. Daigneault became the fourth head coach of the Thunder since moving to Oklahoma City. Daigneault spent five seasons as the head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue accumulating three consecutive division titles and four playoff appearances including a franchise-record 34 wins.[48]
On November 25, the Thunder announced Mike Wilks, Dave Bliss, David Akinyooye, Mike Miller as assistant coaches and Zach Peterson and Kameron Woods as player development coaches. Miller joins the Thunder after serving as interim head coach of the New York Knicks. Woods joins the Thunder after serving two seasons as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Blue.[49]
To New Orleans PelicansSteven Adams via OKC Eric Bledsoe via MIL 2024 first-round pick via MIL 2025 first-round pick via MIL 2026 first-round pick via MIL 2027 first-round pick via MIL