Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault showed up at Isaiah Joe’s golf charity event this week. And he didn’t just make an appearance. He told a story that perfectly captures why Joe meant so much to the franchise.
Joe spent four seasons in Oklahoma City after arriving from Philadelphia in 2022. He helped the Thunder win a championship in 2025. But Daigneault’s first interaction with Joe almost went very differently. The coach originally wanted to send Joe to the G-League. The guard said no thanks.
“It turns out that maybe he might be a little bit crazy, but he was also right, and he’s been right ever since,” Daigneault said at the event, via reporter Addam Francisco. “He helped bring a championship to Oklahoma City. He was a huge part of the team’s rise and a huge part of the team’s success. But the thing I always talk about with our team is not what we do, but how we do it. He is a first-class professional, one of the best shooters in basketball.”
Joe bet on himself and won. He didn’t want to waste time in the G-League. He wanted to contribute immediately. And he did. Over 296 games with the Thunder, he averaged 9.7 points and 2.5 rebounds. In playoff minutes, those numbers dipped to 5.3 points and 1.6 rebounds, but his perimeter shooting and professionalism made him a locker room staple.
Daigneault kept going. “The word I always think of with Isaiah Joe is class. He is a first-class professional, first-class human. His family is a first-class family. We are going to sorely miss the Joe family and Isaiah. We’re glad that you’re doing this and leaving a legacy in Oklahoma City. Thank you for everything.”
The Thunder traded Joe to Detroit this offseason
Oklahoma City sent Joe to the Pistons for draft compensation. It was a business move. The Thunder are already loaded with young talent and Jalen Williams’ massive extension kicks in next season. They had to make choices.
But losing a guy like Joe isn’t easy. Especially after the season they just had. Oklahoma City finished 64-18, the best record in the West. They swept the Suns and the Lakers in the first two rounds before falling to the Spurs in seven games in the conference finals. That stung. And now they’ll try to run it back without a guy who was part of the core identity.
Daigneault showing up to Joe’s charity event says something. Coaches don’t always do that after a trade. But this wasn’t just a transaction for Daigneault. It was personal. He still wanted to be there for Joe, even after the front office moved him.
What’s next for the Thunder? They’ve got cap room and trade assets. They’ll try to find another shooter who fits their system. But replacing what Joe brought — the shooting, the professionalism, the culture piece — that’s harder than it looks on paper. And Daigneault knows it.
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