Thunder Prospect Evaluation: Theo Maledon
Theo Maledon has looked like a steal to this point in his career after being selected No. 34 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. An athletic 6-foot-5 guard, he drastically exceeded expectations as a rookie.
Thrown into a starter role roughly halfway through the season, Maledon had to quickly learn to facilitate an offense at the NBA level. While he wasn’t perfect, the experience was everything the French guard could have asked for.
Entering his second season, Maledon will he asked to do quite a bit once again as a leader on the Thunder roster.
As each player in this series is evaluated, it’s important to consider the prospect they are now, but more importantly how they could look in five years when the Thunder are a competitive playoff team once again.
Last Season’s Numbers
Maledon averaged 10.1 points, 3.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game as a rookie. He stood out against his peers, finishing the season at seventh in total points and fourth in total assists among rookies.
Not only was he one of the best rookies in the NBA last season, but he also was one of the better players in Oklahoma City. He led the team in total minutes played and started in 49 games towards the end of the season.
After shooting 33.5 percent from deep, it appears he’s got the potential to be an excellent shooter at the NBA level as well.
Maledon’s 2.2 turnovers per contest was a bit concerning, but also somewhat expected as a 19-year-old rookie that was asked to start at point guard for a good portion of the year.
Overall, Maledon proved to be one of the top rookies in the NBA last season and was one of the best value picks in his entire draft class.
Fit On Current Roster
Earlier this summer, Maledon turned 20 years old as he’s preparing for his second NBA season. After starting in over half of OKC’s games last season, expectations will be high for him going forward.
It’s likely that Maledon won’t start early in the season with the team fully healthy and re-loaded with talent from the draft. However, he’ll be a key piece off of the bench for the Thunder.
In NBA Summer League last month, Maledon averaged 9.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 35.7 percent from deep. He looked extremely comfortable on the court and was the clear leader on the team. This leadership will be needed in the upcoming season on what is still a very young Thunder team.
Maledon also looked much stronger physically as his time in the weight room has paid off this summer. With all the experience he got last season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him take a leap as a sophomore.
There’s a real chance Maledon is the team’s best player off the bench in the upcoming season, which would play a significant role in the success of the Thunder.
Long-Term Fit
With how loaded Oklahoma City is at guard, it’s unlikely that Maledon will ever be a consistent starter. The Thunder already have three young guards in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort and Josh Giddey that have higher ceilings than Maledon and project to be core pieces for many years.
With that in mind, Maledon has the potential to be a future NBA Sixth Man of the Year candidate. At this level, the need for a playmaker and facilitator off the bench is as important as ever. When the superstar starters take their rest, the level of production can’t drop off if teams want to be successful.
As the Thunder continue to build out their core starting unit over the next several years, guys like Maledon should be working towards solidifying a role as Oklahoma City’s best reserve.
Prospect Grade
B
Maledon’s ceiling is a high-end bench player, which is still solid considering where OKC drafted him. If he’s able to turn into a player that’s a fringe starting point guard but comes off the bench in most games, he’ll be just as valuable as a true starter.
With plenty of size and skill, Maledon is just scratching the surface of his potential.
If he’s able to limit his turnovers and increase his 3-point shooting, Maledon will be one big step closer to becoming a solidified NBA player.
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