OKC Thunder Rotation Materializing as Season Churns On
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s rotation through the 2023-24 season was a widely discussed topic throughout the fanbase in the offseason. And now, just 10 games into the season, that very rotation has begun to materialize slowly.
The starting five has been unwavering with a fully healthy roster: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and a dose of Luguentz Dort for the opposition's superstar. Those have been the top-five minute-getters on the team.
Sixth in minutes is rookie Cason Wallace at 22.5 per game, followed closely by Isaiah Joe at 19.6 before a drop off to the next tier.
Wallace has been pivotal to the team’s success so far this year, moonlighting as OKC’s sixth man and provided his patented defense along with 63-52-100 shooting splits.
Joe has essentially become Gilgeous-Alexander’s right-hand man when the initial group sits near the end of the first and third quarters, spraying 3-pointers left and right to the adornment of most analytics.
The next tier is Jaylin Williams, Aaron Wiggins and Ousmane Dieng, who have all played between 11 and 14 minutes per game, and have played most contests (outside of Williams’ early-season injury.)
All three have been relied on in relief, with Williams taking on the brunt of big man in Holmgren’s on-court absence, Wiggins playing a multi-tool, do-it-all role and Dieng using his lengthy frame to hound on defense and hit threes when necessary.
At full health, all three are likely to stay in the rotation, rounding out the top 10 alongside Wallace and Joe.
The remaining players — Olivier Sarr, Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Davis Bertans, Aleksej Pokusevski, Lindy Waters III and Keyontae Johnson — have yet to play more than four games. And all have played 11 minutes or less, with most hovering around six minutes per game.
It seems for now, unless they can push through in practice and create a bridge of trust with the coaching staff, they’ll be battling it out in games’ less competitive minutes.
Kenrich Williams, who’s currently dealing with back spasms, will assuredly be a heavy part of the rotation once he’s healthy.
Of course, there’s still time for Daigneault and co. to make changes, or for players to push their way through any cracks that may appear. But for now, the Thunder rotation has yielded a 6-4 record to start the season, so things aren't in dire need of change.
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