How Chet Holmgren’s Injury Impacts the Thunder Bench
As most know by now, the Chet Holmgren lisfranc injury could hold some serious implications for this season. It completely changes the landscape for the Thunder for this season. The injury leaves questions like who will fill the shoes of Chet at the big man position.
Another angle to look at the injury is how will the bench be impacted, and who may get more reps because of it?
Also, an extra bonus for the Thunder is that their roster cutting issue was shortened by one player, as they can hold one extra with the disabled player exception.
This also helps one player who was slated for a bench role, as they'll step into the starting lineup, and more bench players will have time to be evaluated.
Why does it matter to have time to be evaluated before next season? The Thunder don’t have much roster wiggle room, and they’re going to have to begin deciding who they want in their rotation for their first playoff berth since the 2019-20 season.
While that might come in another season or two after this one, it’s important to begin analyzing now, because the Thunder will not gain any roster spots, but they’ll have plenty of draft picks and opportunities to make trades.
Alonzo Adams / USA Today
The players that should benefit from the extra minutes the most are Jaylin Williams and Darius Bazley. Between Aleksej Pokusevski, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Williams and Bazley, they’ll have to fill in Holmgren’s expected impact.
Williams will get a chance to play Center, and will give the staff a good look at his potential as a back-up stretch five.
Of course, Derrick Favors and Mike Muscala still fit into the rotation somewhere, but because of the roster crunch and lack of time, the veterans will take the back seat to the young guys this season.
Bazley should get more of an opportunity if he doesn’t start this season. He’ll be able to show his ability to face adversity and continue to positively impact the team. If Poku is on the bench, he’ll get a very similar opportunity. Robinson-Earl seems to be a good fit to start this season, but if he begins the season on the bench, there’s no reason he shouldn’t end up a starter before the season gets too far in.
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