Oklahoma City Thunder: Free Daequan Cook

The most pleasing aspect of the Thunder’s rout of Toronto on Sunday night was the return of Daequan Cook to the OKC rotation. Since Cook’s knee injury on March 20 at Utah, he had played just two games – four minutes or so against both Miami and Indiana.

But Cook played 19 minutes against the Raptors and scored eight points. He made three of eight shots.

The Thunder signed Derek Fisher on March 21, ostensibly to back up Russell Westbrook. But quickly it became clear that Fisher would eat into Cook’s minutes, too.

Scotty Brooks has played Fisher 20.4 minutes per game since his arrival. Reggie Jackson, who had been Westbrook’s backup since the early-season injury to Eric Maynor, averages 11.3 minutes per game. So those extra nine minutes a game are coming from somewhere.

Those minutes are not giving Westbrook more rest. Westbrook is averaging 35.7 minutes a game this season, but he’s averaging 38.8 minutes a game since Fisher’s arrival.

Brooks has decided to use Fisher as the extra wing player when the Thunder goes to its small lineup. So Fisher plays with Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden and whichever big guy Brooks chooses to use.