Q. Last year you told me the headband squeezed your head too much. Now it's back. What's the thought process there?
LINDY WATERS: Dri-FIT, so it's a little more stretchy. I've got no problem with it. The original, the cotton headbands, they squeeze my head a little too much.
Q. Making improvements in the wardrobe and on the court this year. What's been your focus on the court this off-season?
LINDY WATERS: My focus on the court, just learning how to move without the ball, being as efficient as I can. With every movement, every practice, every workout, trying not to waste time and just be intentional with everything I do.
Q. Lindy, you went from a two-way contract to a standard deal to having your option declined to rejoining the team on the two way. What has this stream of transactions kind of been like for you as you try to solidify a spot here?
LINDY WATERS: A lot of people asked me that question this summer, and I just kind of give them a brief overview of there's a lot of people out here that have a lot less than me. So I'm not really worried about what contract is what or how long it is. Just focusing on coming in every day and just giving it my all.
Q. With as much as you can go into it, were there like conversations with other teams, or did you have a pretty good idea that you would be back here in OKC?
LINDY WATERS: I had a pretty good idea that I was going to stick around. I leave that up to my agent, and I just keep basketball first and try not to let that get in the way.
Q. Sam always talks about you can't just do one thing. I think people know you have a good shot and you've improved getting it off quickly. What are things you think you need to get better to take that ultimate step, stay on an NBA contract? Is it offensive issues, or is it defense? What are the things you've got to get better at to make sure you stamp yourself with that NBA standard contract?
LINDY WATERS: There's a lot of things I think I can get better at. I try not to be stagnant or complacent with where I'm at. So offensively, just learning from guys like Klay Thompson or off-the-ball shooters. Defenses, at the end of the day, everybody has to guard.
There's nothing specific that I need to get better at. It's just being more aggressive and just getting better in all facets of the game.
Q. You got to play with Kam Woods a lot and Mark Daigneault. It seemed like you earned their trust during the course of the season. What are the similarities of those two as coaches. How did you see Kam improve as time went on this year?
LINDY WATERS: Love them both. They're great coaches. They have a little bit of different style, but at the end of the day, they have the same system, and I think that's what made it easier for me to kind of mesh with both teams.
They have different dynamics, both coaching style and personality style. I feel like I'm just a jack of all trades so I'll be able to fit in with everybody.
Watching Kam grow this season was -- it made me feel good. He put in the work every day. He came in with a great attitude of gratefulness. Coach Mark does that too.
I think as an organization with everybody collectively being that way, we'll have success.
Q. You used the word a minute ago intentional. Some other people have used the words from outside of athletics, like acting, singing, et cetera, et cetera. I just want to know philosophically, when you say I try to be intentional, what exactly does that mean? You must explain that.
LINDY WATERS: You never know when it will be your last day. So just take advantage of every opportunity. So in every workout, trying to get the most out of the time I'm there. I don't want to spend my whole day in the gym, and half the time I'm just messing around. So I want to get in, get my work done the way it needs to be done, go to the weight room, do the exact same thing, get it done the way it needs to be done.
Then in life, whether that's relationships or practicing my religious beliefs or just by day-to-day life, just making sure I'm doing things intentionally rather than just kind of meandering through life.
Q. Lindy, the new collective bargaining contract that's voted and approved asked for an additional two-way contract on NBA rosters. How important is that for certain players and opportunities that presents across the league?
LINDY WATERS: I think it's big time. Big props to NBPA for allowing another spot for someone who may be in a position like me to be able to come in and show they have the offer. Everybody needs an opportunity and just adding one more spot opens up a lot of doors for people.
Q. You've had sort of an up and down deal in terms of playing time. You'll be in the rotation for a week or two, then you might miss four or five games. Then you come back and end up in the rotation for the play-in tournament. Is there an art to that, to being able to perform when called upon? How frustrating is it? How do you deal with the uncertainty of not knowing what your playing time is going to be?
LINDY WATERS: I think at the beginning of my career with the Blue I had a tough time understanding that, just how volatile the league can be, whether it's playing time or injuries or anything like that. So I learned pretty quickly from the jump that you'll have a small window of opportunity, and you never know when that's going to be, no matter where you're at in life.
I don't really think too much, whether I get 30 minutes one game or the next game I don't see it. I'm going to be the same person every single day. I'm going to do the things I do perfectly and help my team any which way possible.
So whether he needs me to come in for the last two seconds of the half and be a shooting threat to give somebody else an opportunity, that's what I'm going to do.
Q. Lindy, I know you hosted a Native tournament over the summer in Edmund. Could you tell us your story about that and your involvement with the community.
LINDY WATERS: It was a dream of mine, whenever there was a Nabi tournament that's hosted in Phoenix, and seeing that, I never got to be able to play in it, but seeing how they put opportunities for Native kids, I thought it was great. For what I believe in, I wanted to be able to do the same thing.
So having that, especially in Oklahoma City, was just a dream come true. On top of that, it was on my birthday. So just being able to share that experience with them as well as hand out scholarships for young Native American kids to pursue academic priorities is just -- man, it was just a blessing for me and my family. I'm looking forward to doing it again next year.
And it might be at Trae Young's facility down in New Orleans. So we're hoping to grow this thing.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports