- The Oklahoma City Thunder won 40 games last season
- Superstar point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander headlines the Thunder’s starting lineup
- Chet Holmgren is back for the Thunder after missing his entire rookie season
The Oklahoma City Thunder shocked the NBA world last season by winning 40 games. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder went 40-42 in the regular season and defeated the New Orleans Pelicans in the 9-10 play-in game on the road.
OKC’s magical season ended after losing the 8-9 play-in game to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the team has an incredibly bright future with Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren leading the way.
The Thunder project to have a skillful starting lineup in 2023-24. Let’s take a look at who head coach Mark Daigneault will likely start next season.
Point Guards
Starter: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Reserve: Tre Mann
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best players in the NBA. He averaged 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists last season while shooting 51.0% from the field, 34.5% from beyond the arc, and 90.5% from the free-throw line. The 25-year-old made his first All-Star team and was voted to the All-NBA First Team.
The Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander from the Los Angeles Clippers in the blockbuster Paul George trade during the summer of 2019. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 24.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 229 games with the Thunder. He holds career averages of 21.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists with the Clippers and Thunder.
NBA execs from rival teams of the Thunder who were hoping that Gilgeous-Alexander would request a trade from OKC have given up hope on that front, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Gilgeous-Alexander signed a five-year, $179 million rookie-scale extension with the Thunder in August 2021.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves thinks Gilgeous-Alexander will compete for an MVP Award one day. The last Thunder player to win MVP was Russell Westbrook back in 2017.
“He kills everybody in the league,” Reaves said, via Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. “He’s one day probably going to be in the race for MVP.”
Shooting Guards
Starter: Luguentz Dort
Reserve: Isaiah Joe
Luguentz Dort appeared in 74 games for the Thunder last season. He averaged 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 38.8% from the field, 33.0% from beyond the arc, and 77.2% from the free-throw line.
Dort is one of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA. He could make an All-Defensive team next season since the Thunder are back on the NBA map for the first time since trading Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in the summer of 2019.
The 24-year-old Dort has career averages of 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 213 games with the Thunder. He signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with OKC in July 2022.
Small Forwards
Starter: Jalen Williams
Reserve: Kenrich Williams
Jalen Williams had a terrific rookie season with the Thunder in 2022-23. The Santa Clara product averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 52.1% from the field, 35.6% from beyond the arc and 81.2% from the free-throw line.
The 22-year-old Williams made the All-Rookie team last season. He recorded three double-doubles and scored over 20 points 17 times.
Williams’ best game as a rookie came against the Utah Jazz on March 5. The swingman put up 32 points while shooting 12-of-15 from the floor, 4-of-5 from 3, and 4-of-6 from the foul line.
Power Forwards
Starter: Josh Giddey
Reserve: Aleksej Pokusevski
Josh Giddey averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists for the Thunder last season. The versatile forward shot 48.2% from the field, 32.5% from beyond the arc, and 73.1% from the free-throw line. Giddey recorded 28 double-doubles and four triple-doubles in 76 games.
Many people around the NBA believe Giddey could make the All-Star team next season if the Thunder have a winning record at the 2024 All-Star break. Giddey, who made the 2021-22 All-Rookie second team, already has 44 double-doubles and eight triple-doubles with OKC.
The 20-year-old Giddey has career averages of 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists with the Thunder.
Centers
Starter: Chet Holmgren
Reserve: Jaylin Williams
The Thunder drafted Chet Holmgren with the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga. The 7-footer averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32 college games while shooting 60.7% from the field, 39.0% from beyond the arc, and 71.7% from the free-throw line.
Unfortunately, Holmgren missed his entire rookie season because of a Lisfranc injury suffered last summer while playing in a Pro-AM game. The 21-year-old has fully recovered from his injury and is set to make his NBA debut in 2023-24.
It will be fascinating to see if OKC makes the playoffs next season with Holmgren in the fold next to Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder haven’t made the postseason since 2020.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren project to be a lethal duo in the pick-and-roll/pop game. Thunder fans are certainly hoping that Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren spend the rest of their NBA careers in OKC.
