The Oklahoma City Thunder and free agent center Daniel Orton have agreed to terms Saturday. The deal is a non-guaranteed contract and it does not include a certified spot on the opening night roster. If Orton does not make the team, which could happen, he may wind up in the D-League playing for the Tulsa 66ers.
Orton was the 29th pick overall by the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft. However, Orton’s career did not start off great. He missed the entire first season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on his left knee. After 16 games last year with the Magic, Orton only averaged 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game before being let go by the team when his rookie contract expired.
Orton will have at least one man to beat on the roster that already has 14 of 15 players under guaranteed contracts. Orton’s opponent is Hollis Thompson, whose contract is not guaranteed for the 2012-13 season. Orton is an Oklahoma City native and will more than likely be trying his hardest to get on the defending Western Conference championship team.
The Thunder start their season on national television when they travel to the AT&T Center in San Antonio to face the San Antonio Spurs. The game will be televised on TNT on Nov. 1.
This will be a full 82-game season for the NBA since there is no lockout to contend with. The season will end April 17, 2013.
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