Thunder Rebounding Issues: A Quick External Fix Unlikely to Occur
Through the first 10 games of their season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have gotten off to a solid start. They currently hold a record of 6-4, which is good for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Still the second youngest team in the NBA, there has certainly been high and low points throughout the season already. There's been quite a few things the Thunder have done well, but several key issues still remain. With that in mind, there's plenty of time to work things out over the next few months.
Perhaps the most glaring issue with this team right now is rebounding. Especially on the defensive side of the ball, Oklahoma City has been one of the worst teams in the NBA this season. This has resulted in opposing teams generating second chance points, while the Thunder aren't able to get as many looks of their own. Despite shooting the ball efficiently to this point, OKC just hasn't taken many shots relative to the rest of the league.
Even though cleaning the glass has been a clear concern, don't expect any trade or big move to address the issue. Given the point Oklahoma City is at in its rebuild, it's likely smarter to just let the team play through it and learn along the way. Whether it's adjusting playstyle or rotations, there's an internal pathway to improving in the rebounding department the way the roster is currently constructed.
While the easy fix at the surface would be to trade for a highly productive rebounding big to back up or play alongside Chet Holmgren, it's simply too early in the season to make that type of move. Perhaps at the trade deadline this could be an option, but for the next three months, this is a situation that will have to work itself out.
Oklahoma City is patient and in it for the long run, so impulsive moves in November don't fit this front office's style.
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