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Someone has kidnapped Clay Bennett.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to a five-year, $25-million deal with restricted free agent Kyle Singler, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. The fifth year is reportedly a team option.
The Thunder continue to signal that they're more than willing to spend into the luxury tax for the first time in franchise history. When factoring in the salary for first-round pick Cameron Payne, a rumored $13-million annual salary on a multi-year deal for Enes Kanter, and Singler's salary, and the Thunder would have roughly $95 million committed to 15 guaranteed contracts.
Even if a trade or two were to come and juggle the back end of the roster some, they're going to be incredibly light on flexibility moving forward. Should they win a championship or even just convince Kevin Durant to re-sign in 2016, it will have been worth it, and Singler's deal will cost the team about $3.75 million annually, in relative terms, when the cap spikes in coming years.
Still, a $5-million annual salary for a role player that takes the team further into the tax is going to be scrutinized. Acquired alongside Kanter in the return for Reggie Jackson and a first-round pick at the trade deadline, Singler averaged 17.5 minutes in 26 games with the Thunder, none of them alongside Durant.
His role when Durant returns could be minimal, though he can provide shooting and toughness from the wing. He's hit 37.8 percent of his threes in his career and is a tough and adequate - if below-average - defender.
