Details Emerge About Recent OKC Thunder Signing

In mid-July, the Oklahoma City Thunder signed former Grand Rapids Gold forward Jack White to a two-year, veteran minimum contract. 

On Thursday, details about the contract were released. 

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, White's deal will be worth $600,000 guaranteed in 2023-24 and $706,204 guaranteed in 2024-25 if OKC exercises the 25-year-old's team option. 

White averaged 20.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 14 G League games last season while shooting 54.4% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc. In 17 games with Nuggets, White averaged 1.2 points and one rebound in almost four minutes per game.

Prior to his time in the NBA, White played at Duke, averaging 4.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in over 20 minutes per game off the bench.

After college, White went back to his home country of Australia to play in the NBL. Playing for Melbourne United in 2021-22, White averaged 9.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field. 

This summer, White is slated to play with Josh Giddey and Team Australia in the FIBA World Cup.

While White's signing excited Thunder fans on Twitter, his salary numbers indicate that the skilled wing may be an easy cut for the OKC front office. With less than $1 million invested into White, Oklahoma City could move on from the Australian forward without significant financial loss. 

In the meantime, White can come to training camp and compete for a spot on the roster. Even if he doesn't end up making the team, the 6-foot-7 wing can raise the competition level in OKC's training camp by trying to fight for a job. 

If White does make the roster, it will likely be because his size and skill set, in theory, provides something that the Thunder don't currently have on the team.