Oklahoma City faces a pivotal offseason.
Another year, another new champion, the era of parity continues.
Who knew that not only winning a championship is tough, but repeating is even more difficult?
As the Thunder’s season ended earlier than they had expected, losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
Following their NBA-best record of 64-18 in the regular season. Despite being the second most injured team, before losing a Game 7 at home to the Spurs, here is where the stock stands for key Thunder players, heading into the offseason.
Thunder Players Stock Watch
Stock up 📈
Ajay Mitchell
Mitchell’s stock has been on the rise since the beginning of the season. Now it soared during the playoffs, especially after the second round, where he was OKC’s best player.
Playing like a future All-Star caliber guard. Before going down for the remainder of their postseason run in the first half of Game 3, the Thunder felt Mitchell’s absence due to a soleus strain. And his importance to this team seems to be on the rise.
Cason Wallace
Wallace had the best postseason of his young career. Knocked down the three-ball at a high rate. Showed creation flashes in the middle of the season. Led the league in steals and made his first All-Defensive team. Establishing himself as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders.
Jared McCain
Daryl Morey’s “sold high” quote will be memorable for quite a while in Oklahoma City. What McCain has done to make an immediate impact in high-leverage situations in such a short period of time after having “no expectations” once acquired at the trade deadline from Philadelphia was such a luxury for OKC.
It was more about what McCain will provide in the future. McCain not only forced himself into the playoff rotation but swung two postseason series. Now with a full off-season, training camp, and preseason with OKC. All signs point to an upward trajectory for his role with the Thunder.
Jaylin Williams
Williams, who played more situationally in previous seasons. Took big steps, carving out a consistent role, filling the role as the Thunder’s third big.
Williams has made noticeable strides defensively and athletically. Continues to round out as a stretch big and knocking down timely threes. His stock is up.
Isaiah Hartenstein
What Hartenstein has brought to the Thunder in the areas this team lacks — as a rebounder, screener, his ability to read and react as a playmaker, and vertical safety net in the pick-and-roll is currently irreplaceable. More importantly, his importance and value against the Spurs have raised his stock.
Alex Caruso
The Thunder brought in Caruso for the sole purpose of being a 16-game player, and he has been exactly that in OKC.
Caruso has put together a back-to-back all-time role-player playoff run. Proving to be a playoff-riser. Throughout the Western Conference Finals, he had a legitimate case to be the MVP for Oklahoma City. What he provides for the Thunder you don’t get elsewhere.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Back-to-back MVPs. Continues to be the constant, no matter who’s out on the court with him. Ended the season on a high note in Game 7. Whenever people want to put a cap on SGA, he has come back better every year and won’t do it now, coming into next season. And the next step is becoming a more consistent three-point shooter, and his career progression suggests he will improve in that area.
Stock Down 📉
Chet Holmgren
Holmgren struggled mightily against the Spurs. He was a first-time All-Star, made third-team All-NBA, and was phenomenal in the first two rounds of the playoffs before shrinking in the Western Conference Finals. His stock is the lowest it’s ever been in his basketball career, but I will gladly buy his trend due to being a workaholic and being the ultimate competitor, as this will be a major off-season for him.
Aaron Wiggins
Wiggins stock has trended down. It was a rough season, particularly the second half. Unable to produce and add to the ascension of others in the rotation, leading to a lack of consistency in guaranteed minutes.
Wiggins can certainly regain his rhythm, but with the roster growing, the Thunder can’t provide that consistency and comfort.
Lu Dort
Dort’s stock is moving down. The defensive slippage and the regression from three were there. Stylistically, the path for him to remain a starter, considering how loaded OKC is at guard, doesn’t seem to be the most favorable for the Thunder moving forward.
Stock Plateaued
Jalen Williams
Williams’ stock is trending down due to health concerns. Not from a performance standpoint. There was no sense of normalcy, as he didn’t have the opportunity to establish any rhythm this season. Making it difficult to gauge him, which causes his stock status to plateau.
No off-season, no training camp, just thrown into the fire in the middle of the season. At the start of the playoffs. Plop into the Western Conference Finals. After sacrificing himself through a torn wrist last postseason, which carried into this season, and then playing through multiple hamstring strains. This left Williams without a ramp-up period or any sense of normalcy. His priority will be the rehabilitation of the hamstrings.
Isaiah Joe
Joe’s stock has plateaued. At this point, he is who he is. After making another leap in the regular season, as a movement shooter, quicker release, improved decision maker, and defender.
Shaping up to the postseason, where Joe breaks through, and then the playoffs hit, and he once again does not produce in the way many were hoping. However, the process was there this time around; the results were not. Until proven otherwise, can’t bank on Joe the 16-game player.
Kenrich Williams
Williams stock is plateauing. What he provides is known at this point. Another postseason run with Williams out of the rotation and playing very sparingly in situational moments.
With the first key domino of the offseason —the NBA Draft, only a week-and-a-half away — could be very telling for the future implications of some of the Thunder’s key players.
Main Image: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
