The Thunder will welcome a familiar face to Oklahoma City for a pair of preseason games.
Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls will visit Chesapeake Energy Arena on Dec. 16 and Dec. 18 to face the Thunder. The Thunder will open its three-game preseason slate Dec. 12 at the Spurs.
NBA teams will play a minimum of two and a maximum of four preseason games from Dec. 11 to Dec. 19, the league announced Friday. The regular season will begin Dec. 22.
Donovan was quickly hired by the Bulls, and the Thunder promoted Mark Daigneault to head coach after a two-month search. Daigneault was an assistant coach under Donovan last season in Oklahoma City, and Daigneault spent four years on Donovan's staff at Florida.
The Thunder will open training camp Tuesday, and it will enter the preseason with a remade roster. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley, Luguentz Dort, Hamidou Diallo, Mike Muscala and Isaiah Roby are the only players back from last season's team.
<figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-002831664a37943f1c73ca7fd17c5d14.jpg" alt="Photo - Oklahoma City's Hamidou Diallo (6) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) react during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Atlanta Hawks at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City,Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. [Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman]" title="Oklahoma City's Hamidou Diallo (6) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) react during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Atlanta Hawks at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City,Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. [Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman]"><figcaption>Oklahoma City's Hamidou Diallo (6) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) react during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Atlanta Hawks at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City,Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. [Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman]</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-5fc2f4d01fdd4a93724e6bfc33b50004.jpg" alt="Photo - Grant Jerrett, Andre Roberson and Steven Adams hold their jerseys during a press conference at the Thunder Events center, Saturday, July 29, 2013. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman" title="Grant Jerrett, Andre Roberson and Steven Adams hold their jerseys during a press conference at the Thunder Events center, Saturday, July 29, 2013. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman"><figcaption>Grant Jerrett, Andre Roberson and Steven Adams hold their jerseys during a press conference at the Thunder Events center, Saturday, July 29, 2013. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-8a13c5242e480ca975e22dbb2f95d8aa.jpg" alt="Photo - Steven Adams made his Thunder debut Sunday in Orlando. He scored two points and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes. Photo by Sarah Phipps The Oklahoman" title="Steven Adams made his Thunder debut Sunday in Orlando. He scored two points and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes. Photo by Sarah Phipps The Oklahoman"><figcaption>Steven Adams made his Thunder debut Sunday in Orlando. He scored two points and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes. Photo by Sarah Phipps The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-548d8a45b739da5c8bc9a511997bc76d.jpg" alt="Photo - Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) celebrates from the bench during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Charlotte Hornets at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
" title="Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) celebrates from the bench during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Charlotte Hornets at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) celebrates from the bench during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Charlotte Hornets at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-06b5080e7d430f26cb5b547bf44f5437.jpg" alt="Photo - The Thunder is using Enes Kanter, left, and Steven Adams in the offense more than ever, from passing to running the fast break. [PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN] " title=" The Thunder is using Enes Kanter, left, and Steven Adams in the offense more than ever, from passing to running the fast break. [PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN] "><figcaption> The Thunder is using Enes Kanter, left, and Steven Adams in the offense more than ever, from passing to running the fast break. [PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN] </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-1b0634556cb2acbb24b14884e5cdff65.jpg" alt="Photo - Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams misses a dunk over Indiana Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson during Tuesday night's game in Indianapolis. The Pacers whipped Oklahoma City, 111-85. [AP Photo/Michael Conroy] " title=" Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams misses a dunk over Indiana Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson during Tuesday night's game in Indianapolis. The Pacers whipped Oklahoma City, 111-85. [AP Photo/Michael Conroy] "><figcaption> Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams misses a dunk over Indiana Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson during Tuesday night's game in Indianapolis. The Pacers whipped Oklahoma City, 111-85. [AP Photo/Michael Conroy] </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-b1e0081e9198132ce16ef5e4ade27224.jpg" alt="Photo - Oklahoma City's Steven Adams goes up for a dunk over Philadelphia's Joel Embiid during Monday night's game. Adams scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in OKC's 120-113 loss. [AP Photo/Matt Slocum] " title=" Oklahoma City's Steven Adams goes up for a dunk over Philadelphia's Joel Embiid during Monday night's game. Adams scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in OKC's 120-113 loss. [AP Photo/Matt Slocum] "><figcaption> Oklahoma City's Steven Adams goes up for a dunk over Philadelphia's Joel Embiid during Monday night's game. Adams scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in OKC's 120-113 loss. [AP Photo/Matt Slocum] </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-ef20a69017246609f746e1eed172f4df.jpg" alt="Photo - Boston's Enes Kanter, right, knocks the ball away from Oklahoma City's Steven Adams during Sunday's game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Kanter, a former Thunder player, remains a fan favorite in Oklahoma City. [Nate Billings/The Oklahoman] " title=" Boston's Enes Kanter, right, knocks the ball away from Oklahoma City's Steven Adams during Sunday's game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Kanter, a former Thunder player, remains a fan favorite in Oklahoma City. [Nate Billings/The Oklahoman] "><figcaption> Boston's Enes Kanter, right, knocks the ball away from Oklahoma City's Steven Adams during Sunday's game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Kanter, a former Thunder player, remains a fan favorite in Oklahoma City. [Nate Billings/The Oklahoman] </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-41237ffe4eb5987b71d7a9438c9f3dcf.jpg" alt="Photo - Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams, right, celebrates a basket from half-court near the end of the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night at Smoothie King Center. The Thunder won 123-118. [AP Photo/Matthew Hinton] " title=" Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams, right, celebrates a basket from half-court near the end of the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night at Smoothie King Center. The Thunder won 123-118. [AP Photo/Matthew Hinton] "><figcaption> Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams, right, celebrates a basket from half-court near the end of the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night at Smoothie King Center. The Thunder won 123-118. [AP Photo/Matthew Hinton] </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-7a334ae5e90582d3d0aa79d7e4d57519.jpg" alt="Photo - Oklahoma City's Steven Adams gets ready to dunk the basketball beside San Antonio's Marco Belinelli and Lonnie Walker IV during Sunday night's game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Adams had 21 points and 14 rebounds in the Thunder's 131-103 victory. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman] " title=" Oklahoma City's Steven Adams gets ready to dunk the basketball beside San Antonio's Marco Belinelli and Lonnie Walker IV during Sunday night's game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Adams had 21 points and 14 rebounds in the Thunder's 131-103 victory. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman] "><figcaption> Oklahoma City's Steven Adams gets ready to dunk the basketball beside San Antonio's Marco Belinelli and Lonnie Walker IV during Sunday night's game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Adams had 21 points and 14 rebounds in the Thunder's 131-103 victory. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman] </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-2f0757741e4712be315f77bc91f1fc22.jpg" alt="Photo - Thunder center Steven Adams recently flew back to Oklahoma City from New Zealand ahead of the NBA season restart, arriving to a place much different than the one he left 7,500 miles behind. [Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman] " title=" Thunder center Steven Adams recently flew back to Oklahoma City from New Zealand ahead of the NBA season restart, arriving to a place much different than the one he left 7,500 miles behind. [Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman] "><figcaption> Thunder center Steven Adams recently flew back to Oklahoma City from New Zealand ahead of the NBA season restart, arriving to a place much different than the one he left 7,500 miles behind. [Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman] </figcaption></figure>
Joe Mussatto
Joe Mussatto joined The Oklahoman in August 2018 to cover OU football, men’s basketball and softball. He previously covered University of Kentucky football and basketball for SEC Country.
Mussatto is from Oklahoma City and lives in Norman.
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![Oklahoma City's Hamidou Diallo (6) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) react during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Atlanta Hawks at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City,Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. [Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/large960_blur-002831664a37943f1c73ca7fd17c5d14.jpg)
![The Thunder is using Enes Kanter, left, and Steven Adams in the offense more than ever, from passing to running the fast break. [PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/sq150-06b5080e7d430f26cb5b547bf44f5437.jpg)
![Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams misses a dunk over Indiana Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson during Tuesday night's game in Indianapolis. The Pacers whipped Oklahoma City, 111-85. [AP Photo/Michael Conroy]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/sq150-1b0634556cb2acbb24b14884e5cdff65.jpg)
![Oklahoma City's Steven Adams goes up for a dunk over Philadelphia's Joel Embiid during Monday night's game. Adams scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in OKC's 120-113 loss. [AP Photo/Matt Slocum]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/sq150-b1e0081e9198132ce16ef5e4ade27224.jpg)
![Boston's Enes Kanter, right, knocks the ball away from Oklahoma City's Steven Adams during Sunday's game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Kanter, a former Thunder player, remains a fan favorite in Oklahoma City. [Nate Billings/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/sq150-ef20a69017246609f746e1eed172f4df.jpg)