Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still a keeper for the Thunder

The franchise may wait until the fates of players like Damian Lillard, James Harden and Bradley Beal are locked in cement. The Portland Trail Blazers may extend Lillard this coming offseason. Both Harden and Beal have player options with teams that are eager to bring them back. The Oklahoma City Thunder have shown no inclination to trade Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Source: Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Bulls 111, Thunder 110
Bulls, playing without DeRozan, almost blow 28-point, 3rd-quarter lead
Vucevic 26 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists
LaVine 23 points (6-19 FGs), 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals
Dosunmu 24 points (career-high), 8 assists, 5 rebounds
SGA 31 pts, 10 assists – 10:27 PM

Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
Zach Lavine defended that potential game-tying stepback SGA 3 a helluva lot better than Nic Batum did earlier this season – 10:26 PM

Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
Giddey wound up cutting into the paint on one drive which got in the way of SGA, but SGA found Dort for a 3. Then another Giddey cut resulted in SGA hitting him for a layup. – 10:23 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 29+ in 6 of his past 8 games.
He’s scored 30+ in half those games.
Shai has 31 with 3 minutes left in the game. – 10:14 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s reaction to when teams make ridiculous shots is the only fun thing from the shot going in. – 9:48 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
SGA, Dort, Moose, Jerome and Wiggins check in and got an 11 point deficit down to 4 points in the time it took me to type this Tweet. – 8:57 PM

Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Heck of a start for Ayo Dosunmu. 12 points (5-5 shooting) on two catch-and-shoot 3s, two midrange pull-ups and a transition layup in first 8:11
Also has 2 assists, and a block and steal apiece while manning the SGA assignment defensively – 8:28 PM

Tas Melas @TasMelas
My NBA plays tonight:
1) Shai over 24.5 PTS vs Bulls
2) Mobley over 26.5 PTS/REB/AST vs NYK
3) Coby White over every number! (Via @MBeller) – 5:29 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
SGA last 7 games:
27.3 PPG
5.7 RPG
6.9 APG
OKC are 1-10 since the new year, which means 10-1 to Sam Presti. pic.twitter.com/oWnpDPSEMH – 10:25 AM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
SGA on Dort ejection: “Lu’s obviously not a dirty player. I don’t think Lu would ever try to elbow someone in the face.”
Still baffled how refs didn’t see the obvious: Dort pulled the ball from Garland. Didn’t see Love. Ironically, Love hit Giddey in the face seconds later. Lol – 11:49 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
SGA on the Dort-Love situation: “Lu’s not a dirty player … I don’t think Lu would ever try to elbow someone in the face.” – 11:41 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs the Cavs
29 points (led the team)
9 rebounds (led the team)
6 assists (led the team)
3 steals (led the team)
1 block (tied for team lead)
Shai has scored 29+ in 5 of his last 7 games. – 10:48 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Big-time game for SGA. He’s played 38 minutes, and has 29 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. – 10:33 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Logo Shai. – 9:47 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Thunder five to close the first: SGA, Mann, Jerome, Wiggins, Kenrich Williams
Kenrich Williams is guarding Evan Mobley. – 8:35 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Darius Bazley is back in the starting lineup tonight
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Lu Dort
Josh Giddey
Darius Bazley
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl – 8:11 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Last night, SGA made his 220th 3-pointer with the Thunder, passing Alex Abrines on OKC’s all-time list.
1. Durant: 1,084
2. Westbrook: 922
3. George: 536
4. Harden: 320
5. Sefolosha: 265
6. Green: 256
7. Morrow: 255
8. Schroder: 249
9. Dort: 242
10. Gilgeous-Alexander: 220 – 4:14 PM

More on this storyline

The Pacers’ sudden willingness to field trade calls on two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis and center Myles Turner, perhaps even to entertain a rebuild, does not bring them closer to the potential acquisition of Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons. The 76ers have essentially completed a third of their season at 14-12 but league sources say that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey continues to hold firm on his ambitions in a Simmons deal, seeking a return package for Simmons headlined by a player from the Damian Lillard/Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tier. -via marcstein.substack.com / December 10, 2021