
Player grades: Thunder drop 109-80 Summer League loss to Hornets in playoff semifinal
The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a 109-80 Summer League semifinal loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The 29-point humiliation was part of the four-team SL playoff that will determine the winner of the July extravaganza.
Even though Nikola Topic and Ajay Mitchell were out, Kon Knueppel still suited up. That gave this playoff matchup some pazzazz. It was a nice surprise to see the 2025 No. 4 pick still playing this deep into the Summer League, especially since Tidjane Salaun was out.
Without a true playmaker, the Thunder endured another slow start. They couldn't buy a bucket as they faced a 23-16 deficit against the Hornets after the first quarter. The halfcourt offense was about as messy as you'd imagine.
It only got worse from that point. Branden Carlson was called for a clear-path foul as he turned it over midcourt. The Thunder hoped to change the call with a challenge that didn't go their way. A few plays later, Knueppel swished in a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer to blow it open as Charlotte opened the frame on a 12-1 run.
The Thunder only scored 17 points in the second quarter. They entered halftime in a 52-33 deficit. That only grew to start the second half. Any faint hopes of a comeback were quickly erased. Knueppel caught Jazian Gortman behind his hip to draw the 3-point shooting foul. The savvy transition move made the rookie look like a veteran.
The Thunder scored 29 points in the third quarter, but it was ineffective. They entered the final frame in an 87-62 deficit. Already dwindling in crowd size, most folks likely changed channels as the rest of the game had zero stakes involved and played out of necessity.
It was another snoozefest frame. The Thunder only scored 18 points in the fourth quarter as the end of their bench subbed in and logged minutes. As the broadcast crew talked about the NBA's 2025-26 season, they trailed by as many as 34 points.
The Thunder shot 32% from the field and went 13-of-40 (32.5%) from 3. They shot 13-of-18 on free throws. They had 13 assists on 27 baskets. Four Thunder players scored double-digit points.
Barnhizer finished with 10 points and three rebounds. Carlson had 12 points and seven rebounds. Malevy Leons tallied 10 points. Erik Reynolds II took advantage of the playing time with 16 points off the bench.
Meanwhile, the Hornets shot 53% from the field and went 13-of-35 (37.1%) from 3. They shot 18-of-23 on free throws. They had 27 assists on 39 baskets. Five Hornets players scored double-digit points.
Knueppel had 17 points and three rebounds. Jaylen Sims scored 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting. MJ Walker had 13 points and seven rebounds. PJ Hall had 12 points. A couple of players almost had triple-doubles. Damion Baugh had 10 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. KJ Simpson had eight points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Well, that was a sour ending to a sweet two-week experience. The Thunder saw their top players shine in Utah and Las Vegas. But with a chance to bring home a Summer League championship, the lack of scoring talent finally caught up to them against a stacked Hornets squad who still had their best player suit up.
Let's look at Thunder player grades:
Brooks Barnhizer: D
Daring Barnhizer to beat them from deep, the Hornets' strategy to leave the 23-year-old unbothered from the perimeter paid off. A productive two-week stint was poorly ended as his limitations were shoved straight into the viewers' faces.
Barnhizer finished with 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting, three rebounds and two assists. He shot 1-of-6 from 3 and went 3-of-4 on free throws. He also had a steal.
The Thunder needed Barnhizer to step up as their top scorer. It was a tall task that bordered on unfair. After all, he's only been a role player for most of his basketball life. To ask him to take that next step in this environment was too high an order.
After being drafted, most Thunder fans had no clue about Barnhizer. He was an unknown who wasn't on anybody's radar. But a quick glimpse of his Northwestern highlights with what he did in the Summer League was a textbook crash course on his profile.
While the defense is a real talent, Barnhizer's NBA ambitions will likely be decided by whether he can hit his outside looks. The ugly side of that was fully displayed in this playoff game. It's not new information to most, but this lackluster performance was a tangible example of why that'll be necessary.
Branden Carlson: C-minus
Grabbing the ball at midcourt, Carlson couldn't save the possession. He had the ball knocked out of his hands after a couple of dribbles. Out of pure frustration, he grabbed Baugh's shorts to prevent the fastbreak but ended up committing a costly clear-path foul that didn't get overturned after a challenge.
Carlson finished with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists. He shot 1-of-3 from 3 and went 1-of-2 on free throws.
These last two Summer League games showed Carlson's limitations. While he's a legitimate catch-and-shoot threat, he needs playmakers to set him up. The 26-year-old can't really create his own looks. Even his sole highlight of a forgettable outing was an alley-oop he connected on with Barnhizer.
Nothing wrong with that. If Carlson carves out an NBA career, it'll be because he's a stretch center. Just wouldn't take much away from two straight flat outings after he returned from an ankle sprain. He's still worth a two-way spot and has shown enough flashes to warrant another season.
Chris Youngblood: C-minus
Camping in the paint, Youngblood was called for a defensive three-second violation. Tough luck. It was another moment that highlighted a game filled with lowlights. He couldn't make up for the scoring vacuum with Topic and Mitchell out.
Youngblood finished with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, five rebounds and three assists. He shot 2-of-3 from 3. He also had one steal.
The Thunder hoped Youngblood could continue his hot outside shooting. He's been their best threat from beyond the perimeter during the entire Summer League. Instead, foul trouble kept him off the court and a lack of kick-out passers made him invisible.
Even though Youngblood delivered a nothing-burger, he was still the biggest standout among the Thunder's undrafted rookies. The 23-year-old was a great off-ball movement shooter whose quick motion required less than a second to attempt a look.
If the Thunder add somebody from their Summer League roster to the third two-way player spot, Youngblood made the most compelling case. You always need outside shooting. He's shown enough variety to be more than your standard catch-and-shoot threat.
Erik Reynolds II: B-minus
As most of the second half turned inconsequential, Reynolds II made the most of the extra minutes. He was on a mission to leave Las Vegas for being more than just the guy who scored on his own basket in a brain fart moment. The 22-year-old got hot as most fans turned this game into background noise.
Reynolds II finished with 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting and one rebound. He shot 5-of-11 from 3. He also had one steal. He made three triples in the fourth quarter.
Diving for a loose ball, Reynolds II left it all on the floor. He crashed into a set of vacant chairs despite the game being unofficially over. While Thunder fans weren't interested, the players on the court were. The undrafted rookie wants to leave a good impression to at least get a G League contract.
Let's see if this late-game explosion is enough. If not on the Thunder, at least somewhere else. Reynolds II went undrafted out of Saint Joseph's. He was a high-volume outside shooter during his college career. Those are always needed at any level.
Highlights:

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
6 hours ago
- USA Today
Watch: Chet Holmgren posts offseason workout video
As the summer temperature rises, the NBA calendar slows down. Almost August, we've reached the driest part of the year. The league has gone on vacation. All the major offseason moves have been made, with most front offices happy with how their rosters look. The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to enjoy their NBA championship. Most of the partying has happened over the past month. With training camp two months away, they hope impressive continuity helps their chances of being a rare repeat winner next season. If Chet Holmgren can return to his pre-injury form, that'll be a huge plus. He was on his way to a likely first-time All-Star bid before he suffered a Nov. 2024 hip fracture that cost him three months. The 23-year-old figured out how to drive to the basket and create his offense. Pair that with special rim protection, and you have one of the best young centers. While Holmgren helped the Thunder win the Larry O'Brien trophy with great individual defense, you couldn't help but notice how much his scoring production dipped. His efficiency sank below the floor for a center. He couldn't buy an outside bucket. Now, with an offseason removed from his hip fracture, the Thunder hope Holmgren can return to the star trajectory he was on. The seven-footer posted on social media some of his offseason workouts. In the quick video, you can see him work on his handle and finish through contact. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams received all the flowers for being 20-plus point scorers, Holmgren is not too far behind. Only injuries have limited his ascension. If he can have a healthy fourth season, he can show why those who doubted his contract extension were foolish to do so.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
OKC Thunder jersey history No. 34 - Tyler Davis (2018-19)
The Oklahoma City Thunder (and the Seattle Supersonics before them) have 51 jersey numbers worn by the players who have suited up for the franchise since its founding at the start of the 1967-68 season. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Thunder Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. And while those Supersonics jerseys may not remain part of the franchise history should a new team be established in Seattle as was the case with the return of the Charlotte Hornets, they are part of the Thunder's history today. For this article, we continue with the 34th jersey number in the series, jersey No. 34, with 17 players in total having donned the jersey in the history of the franchise. The 16th of those players did so in the Oklahoma City Thunder era, center alum Tyler Davis. After ending his college career at Texas A&M, Davis would go unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft, instead signing with the Thunder. The San Jose, California native would play the sole season (and appearance) of his NBA career with OKC, leaving the league as a player in 2019 after the briefest of tenures. During his time suiting up for the Thunder, Davis wore only jersey No. 34 and put up 1.0 rebounds per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference. This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Thunder jersey history No. 34 - Tyler Davis (2018-19)


USA Today
11 hours ago
- USA Today
OKC Thunder Mailbag: Could Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic see time in G League next year?
The calendar nears August, which means the NBA is in its driest part of the year. Rosters are mostly set as front offices head into vacation for the next couple of months before training camp starts. The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the 2025-26 season with the hopes of being repeat NBA champions. They had one of the greatest seasons ever with a 68-14 regular-season record and captured the Larry O'Brien trophy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren were all signed to new contract extensions this offseason. As the Thunder basically run it back with the same roster, Thunder Wire will conduct regular mailbags to answer questions that fans have. One question being asked is about Nikola Topic and Ajay Mitchell. Both young guards will battle for the backup point guard spot. There's only a finite number of minutes to hand out. Could one, if not both, see time on the G League's OKC Blue next season? The answer is probably — at least for one of them. Mitchell was the rare two-way player who never played in the G League last season. Instead, he got off to a hot start and penciled his way into the rotation. Before the Thunder had a chance to send him down, toe surgery knocked him out for three months of the regular season. By the time Mitchell returned, the G League season was over. While the 23-year-old dominated the 2025 Summer League, there's still a decent chance he suits up for the Blue at least once on an assignment this upcoming year. The regular season is long enough, and Mark Daigneault frequently changes his rotations. Those two variables combined could cause Mitchell to go a couple of weeks without any real run. The best solution to that is short G League stints at home. Just for Mitchell to keep his legs warm. That's a strategy the Thunder have utilized for years. Sharing an arena and team system makes assignments and recalls as seamless as possible. Now Topic, on the other hand, seems prime to be a player who could spend plenty of time on the Blue. The 19-year-old will need time to develop — especially after being out his first year with a torn ACL. There's only so much a practice or shootaround can do for you. Live 5-on-5 reps against opponents is the best way to ensure a player learns and strengthens their weaknesses. The Thunder drafted Topic with the No. 12 pick of the 2024 NBA draft, knowing he'd be a long-term project. Finally being cleared to play, part of that involves time with the Blue. It's a luxury the NBA champion is afforded because of their rich depth and not needing a rookie to contribute for them to succeed. While Mitchell looks ready to contribute right now, Topic looks like he still needs his training wheels. Which is to be expected, considering the four-year age gap between the players. The 19-year-old could benefit from spending time with the Blue and a low-pressure environment where mistakes aren't as loud as they are at the NBA stage. The Thunder are known as one of the NBA's best developmental programs. The Blue has played a large part in that. They've squeezed every drop of juice out of their G League affiliate and have turned it into a true farm system akin to baseball. Topic and Mitchell could be the latest players who could benefit from some time with the Blue this upcoming season. The former more than the latter.