2022-23 Thunder player grades: Mike Muscala
The 2022-23 Oklahoma City Thunder’s season ended with the play-in tournament loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, which means it’s time for reflection.
Being one of the biggest overachievers in the league, the Thunder finished with a 40-42 record after being predicted by many to have high lottery odds.
Now that the season is in the books, let’s go back and evaluate all 19 players who suited up for the Thunder this past season. Grades will be handed out to every player in terms of what their expectations were heading into the season and how they lived up to them.
The 16th player in this installment is Mike Muscala, who provided the Thunder with spacing before being traded to the Boston Celtics.
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(Editor’s note: We are starting individual grades for all players from the 2022-23 Oklahoma City Thunder. To access other reviews as part of this ongoing series, click here.)
2022-23 statistics:
6.1 points
3.2 rebounds
0.8 assists
44.9% shooting
39.1% 3-point shooting
76.9% free-throw shooting
Advanced stats:
True-shooting percentage: 60.8%
Usage rate: 15.1%
Win shares: 2.5
VORP: 0.4
3-point attempt rate: 70.9%
Significant Percentile Finishes:
Transition scorer: 77.7 percentile
P&R roll man: 84.1 percentile
Spot up: 76.5 percentile
Contract:
2023-24: $3.5 million (team option)
Thoughts:
Muscala’s long-lasting tenure with the Thunder finally came to an end this year when he was traded to the Celtics during the trade deadline.
After 3.5 seasons with OKC, Muscala was moved for draft capital. The 31-year-old enjoyed his best shooting seasons with the Thunder, where he shot 39.2% from 3 on 3.8 attempts in his tenure — the highest mark of any team he’s been on.
This season was no different as he shot 39.4% from 3 on 3.3 attempts in 43 games with the Thunder. Muscala was a valuable piece off the bench as a stretch five who could defend a little. He provided OKC with valuable spacing when he was on the court — an important weapon to have with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the roster.
Muscala’s 3-point attempts were almost exclusively off the catch. On catch-and-shoot 3s, he shot 37.5% on 3.2 attempts with the Thunder. A solid number for the 3-point shooter.
Off the court, Muscala was a great locker room guy to have around the youngest roster in the league. His calm demeanor was welcoming and he never complained about his playing time/touches despite his seniority.
In Boston, Muscala didn’t have as large or consistent of a role, but he was still a solid piece on their bench. He was a solid bench player to get for just a couple of second-round picks.
Moving Forward:
The Celtics have a $3.5 million team option for Muscala this offseason and I’m truly 50/50 on whether or not they pick it up. He’s been a good soldier for them, but as a third-string center, it’s a tad bit too expensive.
If they don’t pick it up, I think Muscala will have a respectable market. The 31-year-old’s playing time over the last four seasons has been limited, which means he should have relatively fresh legs for next season. He’s also enjoyed a bit of a career renaissance with OKC, as his best 3-point shooting seasons were with them.
If his option is declined, should the Thunder go after Muscala and try to bring him back? While he was awesome and clearly beloved in OKC, I just don’t think it makes a ton of basketball sense to bring him back.
The roster will add another wave of rookies, so roster spots will need to be created as is. Adding Muscala just further complicates an already complicated situation. I think both sides were satisfied with how his tenure went in OKC, I don’t see a need to bring him back just for nostalgia’s sake.
With that said though, Muscala was great for the Thunder. He was a cheap veteran who produced quality seasons with OKC and was a great off-the-court personality. He never complained about his lack of consistent playing time and gave the Thunder some decent draft picks in return. A solid tenure overall.
Final Grade: B
