This season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 41-18. That is the second-best record in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City is just (1.0) games behind the Timberwolves in the standings. With 23 games left, there are not many moves the Thunder can make to seriously improve their roster.
That doesn’t mean adding some veteran help for the playoffs is a bad thing. The Thunder are doing just that with their recent signing of big man Mike Muscala. He’s signed a deal that lands him with OKC for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. Muscala was likely brought in to help give the Thunder extra front-court depth.
How will Mike Muscala fit in with the Thunder?
ESPN Sources: After clearing waivers, center Mike Muscala plans to sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the rest of the season. Muscala — who agreed to a buyout with Detroit — spent 2019-2023 with OKC and returns to bring depth for a postseason run. pic.twitter.com/HFvbYwHfuc
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 1, 2024
To start the 2023-24 season, 32-year-old Mike Muscala was with the Washington Wizards. He played in 24 games and made two starts. Before the trade deadline, Muscala was moved to Detroit where he played in 13 games and made four starts. The veteran big man received a buyout from the Pistons and cleared waivers. Oklahoma City signed Muscala to a contract for the rest of the season and he’s now in his second stint with the team.
He previously played four seasons for the Thunder and joined the team as a free agent in 2019-20. The former second-round pick has played in 168 career games for OKC and has made seven starts. Muscala averaged (7.0) points and (3.0) rebounds per game. His career three-point percentage with the Thunder was excellent (.392) and he’s made a living off that shot. Teams will always look to add players who can consistently knock down shots from deep.
Mike Muscala is returning back to Oklahoma City pic.twitter.com/FAqSCWKsFC
— TF (@ThunderFocus) March 1, 2024
Ideally, Muscala will be used as a backup center behind rookie Chet Holmgren. The team has been lacking a true center all season and Muscala fills that role nicely. OKC had previously been using forwards to try and fill the minutes when Holmgren was on the bench. They no longer need to do that with Muscala on the team. At six-foot-ten, he has the size and frame to be the type of backup big man they need. We’ll see how quickly he can readjust to being back on the Thunder.
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