2024-25 Thunder player grades: Adam Flagler

USA Today

10 hours ago

The calendar has flipped to August, which means we've officially hit the low point of the NBA cycle. The next couple of months are the driest part of the year. Everybody has headed to vacation and awaits training camp to kick off the 2025-26 season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to enjoy their NBA championship. They had a historic 68-14 regular-season campaign that eventually led to the franchise's first title with a 2025 NBA Finals Game 7 win. They'll enter next season as a favorite to be a rare repeat winner.
To reflect on their title run, Thunder Wire will conduct 2024-25 season grades for all 19 players who suited up for the squad at one point during the year. Sixteenth up is Adam Flagler, who spent the year on a two-way deal:
2024-25 statistics:
Advanced stats:
Significant Percentile Finishes:
Contract:
Thoughts:
If Flagler showed anything in his first two seasons on the Thunder, it's that he isn't afraid to hunt for his shot. The 25-year-old couldn't make an impact at the NBA level, but it wasn't from a lack of trying. He tried to find his outside shot but never could.
Flagler spent last season on a two-way deal. Because the Thunder blew teams out left and right, that provided plenty of garbage time for the end of the bench to play in. He logged 37 games. The stats weren't pretty, but he gained a reputation among OKC fans as somebody who leaves it all on the court.
While Flagler dominated at the G League level, he didn't translate that success to the NBA. He helped the OKC Blue win a championship in 2024 by being a score-first guard who can light it up from deep. He wasn't afforded those same looks in the NBA. His undersized frame only hindered his ability to get real minutes.
There was some hoopla involved with Flager at times last season. When he was given rotation minutes, Thunder fans sighed in frustration. His quick trigger, combined with bad outside shooting luck, made fans feel like they wasted possessions.
But when you're at the NBA level, you can't hesitate on your shot. Especially if you're known as an outside shooter like Flagler. The results might've been ugly, but the volume was too small to overreact to. Don't get me wrong, there's no justifying shooting below 20% from the outside, but his shot-taking process was fine.
Moving Forward:
After a couple of years on the Thunder, it was time for Flagler to move on. He spent the 2025 Summer League with the Atlanta Hawks and signed a training camp deal with the San Antonio Spurs. It's a fresh start the 25-year-old needs if he wants to compete for a roster spot.
Perhaps his NBA championship buys him some pedigree. But if Flagler wants another chance at the NBA, he must convince teams that his outside shooting numbers were an aberration and that, instead, look at his G League numbers, where he was afforded time to get into rhythm.
If Flagler can't make the Spurs, he's a textbook candidate to return to the G League. He could be a bubble NBA guy who's too good for the G League but not good enough to fit into his ideal role in the NBA. There's also the possibility of going overseas.
Either way, Flagler needs a strong preseason. As simple as it might be, his shooting percentages must go up. You can only get so much leeway after shooting 19% from the outside through his first two seasons. That type of efficiency is a career-ender, regardless of the context behind it.
But hey, if Flagler is near the end of the road, he carved out a decent career. He spent two seasons in the NBA after going undrafted in 2023. He was part of one of the greatest teams in league history and will have a championship ring. Most players at his spot finish with far fewer accolades and time in the league.
Final Grade: D