Increased Offensive Production From Cason Wallace Would Heavily Benefit OKC Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder's defensive engine found scoring momentum in Game 4 of the first round.

Apr 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) against the Phoenix Suns during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Going into the Second Round of the Western Conference Playoffs Tuesday night against the No. 4-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, the defending champion and No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder will likely still be without one of their stars and offensive engines in Jalen Williams. After being without him for the final two games of a first-round sweep over the Phoenix Suns, the players poised to step up have already been discovered.

One of those in the series-clincher was All-Defensive Team-hopeful Cason Wallace, who found his offensive rhythm, scoring 10 points while knocking down two 3-pointers. After struggling on offense through the first three games of the series, the defense-first guard's offense was a major factor in OKC's 9-point victory.

According to his peers, Wallace's defense already impacts winning enough, but an additional factor on the other end of the court would greatly increase the Thunder's already high odds to move on to the Western Conference Finals.

“I think Cason is the best defender [in the NBA]. If you're looking for somebody who not only can defend on ball but off ball in the passing lanes," Thunder All-Star center Chet Holmgren said on Serge Ibaka's "How Hungry Are You?" "He can hound you 94 feet. He can get steals, but he can also play solid and just force you to miss a shot.

The guard's offense, on the other hand, is very inconsistent.

Wallace is averaging 5.5 points and 2.5 assists per game through the four playoff games OKC has played this season, but has shot just 30.8% from long range after converting at a 35.1% clip during the regular season. The Kentucky product is averaging 2.0 steals per game, recording at least one steal in each.

Wallace's 3-point jumper has come and gone throughout his NBA career, with it sitting in the 35% range for his previous two full regular seasons, with his rookie season being the outlier at a blistering 41.9%. However, if shots begin to fall at a higher rate than they did in the first round, the defensive force will be hard to keep on the bench for extended periods.

With a date of return for Williams still being unknown, OKC's heavy roster depth will have to continue to step up as the playoffs continue, just as they did in the first round. An extended boost from one of the team's defensive specialists in Wallace would help tremendously without one of the Thunder's stars.