Thunder Agrees To Terms With Patrick Patterson
In a deal first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Oklahoma City Thunder has agreed to terms with free agent power forward Patrick Patterson. The deal is worth $16.4 million over the course of three years, with a player option on the third and final season.
“Patterson leaves Toronto for Oklahoma City, where GM Sam Presti sees Patterson as floor spacer alongside the NBA’s MVP Russell Westbrook and new All-Star forward Paul George. Patterson chose the Thunder as an opportunity to stay with a contending franchise and play along All-Star players, which he did with Toronto for the past four years.”
Patterson is a 7-year veteran that has spent the last four seasons playing for the Toronto Raptors. He averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 2016-17, appearing in 65 games while making eight starts. He should make an immediate impact on a Thunder team that has lost its top two players at the power forward position since last Friday night. With the exits of Domantas Sabonis and Taj Gibson, Patterson joins Jerami Grant as the most viable options for Billy Donovan at the four-spot.
Patterson has an ability to stretch the floor that should mesh well with an Oklahoma City offense built around Russell Westbrook and Paul George. He shot 37% from downtown in Toronto last season, and has a career three-point shooting percentage of 36%. Plenty of open looks should be available while playing alongside two superstars, and the 28-year-old has shown an ability to knock them down.
The addition of Patterson should end the dream of Rudy Gay in a Thunder uniform, as the organization used its full tax payer mid-level exception to seal the deal. It’s still a great haul for GM Sam Presti, as snagging a potential starter on an affordable deal is best case scenario for Oklahoma City.
More to come.