Don’t overlook the Oklahoma City Thunder this season.
Even though the future is looking bright, the Oklahoma City Thunder have had plenty of misfortune and bad breaks when it comes to injuries. It started when first-round draft pick Chet Holmgren suffered a Lisfranc injury which will cause him to miss his entire rookie season.
Only to make matters worse, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander suffered a sprained ligament in his left knee during a workout and is expected to miss at least some preseason action as the team hopes he can return for their season opener.
Why it’s not all gloom and doom, despite adversity, for the Oklahoma City Thunder
This training camp for the Thunder was an important one because the opportunity existed for the talented trio to develop chemistry and get familiar with their roles as Holmgren was expected to make big contributions on both the offensive and defensive end but instead he will be rehabbing.
Holmgren would be wise to concentrate and focus on adding muscle to his thin frame and getting stronger as his size has been a concern according to scouts. He may not be able to fill out his frame over the course of one season but he should be able to make some kind of improvement.
Take Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo for example. They also came into the NBA as skinny teenagers but they transformed their bodies in order to withstand the physicality of being a big man in this league. But Holmgren is special and should be a major threat with his ability to handle the ball, shoot and pass which will make him a challenge to guard. He also has good footwork which allows him to move and create space.
Holmgren was expected to form a dynamic trio alongside SGA and Josh Giddey as the Thunder will attempt to field a competitive team once again. It’s a good thing that Giddey got to play with Holmgren during Summer League play as they gave fans a glimpse of what they can expect in the next few years, and even though it was just Summer League, they did not disappoint.
Holmgren averaged 14 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists to go along with two steals and 2.8 blocks while shooting 50 percent from the field and an amazing 42 percent from behind the arc. Giddey averaged 12.8 points with an eye-popping 8.8 assists per game.
Giddey still has areas in his game where he must improve, most notably his shooting. He only shot 26 percent from downtown and wasn’t very good from the charity stripe either shooting 71 percent. Giddey is a fearless player who doesn’t mind attacking the rim and he’s a player who’s very crafty and can finish in a number of ways.
He also has elite court vision and awareness and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him among the league leaders in assists one day. I’m also willing to bet that Gilgeous-Alexander will earn his 1st NBA All-Star selection and be in the running for Most Improved Player as well. This could very well be the season Gilgeous-Alexander ascends into superstardom as the Thunder prepares for the upcoming season.
He has progressed and developed into one of the up-and-coming young players in the NBA. SGA is a very skilled player and can do many things well. Notice his patience when he is attacking the defense as his patience, strength, and change of direction with the ability to finish with either hand as he makes it look effortless.
He is also impressive with the moves he uses to get inside the paint with his hesitation, delayed acceleration, and ability to create contact against an off-balanced defender allowing him to get to the foul line often as he is adept at keeping opposing defenders on their toes whenever the ball is in his possession.
Despite the tough shots he takes and the way defenders draped all over him, he has a career 47.3 field goal percentage as he was 22nd among guards last season in that category.
There always seems to be adversity or an uphill battle for the Thunder but they have the talent to change that narrative and create a winning culture in Oklahoma City. Don’t sleep on this young team just yet as they could very well be the surprise team in the NBA if everything works out.