Isaiah Joe’s Regular Season Presence is Perfect for OKC Thunder

Oklahoma City capped off a historic season by winning the franchise’s first ever championship in June. It was a playoff run — and regular season, for that matter — that truly had it all. From comeback wins, to dominant blowouts, battling through injury adversity, and everything in between. The Thunder fanbase will never forget the past season of basketball.

Because of the sheer dominance and impressive statistics across the board, some of the individual growth and improvement was overlooked. Of course, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams were rewarded with plenty of recognition, awards, and honors left and right — but there were a handful of career-years throughout the roster that haven’t been talked about enough.

One of those years belonged to Isaiah Joe, who cemented himself as one of the NBA’s best — and most accurate — long range snipers. Joe struggled to stay on the floor in the playoffs, and maybe that’s why fans have forgotten so quickly, but his impact was monumental and his improvement should be documented.

Joe has turned himself into an absolute weapon over his three seasons in Oklahoma City. After being cut in Philadelphia, Joe completely changed the trajectory of his future. And this past season, he experienced the most success on the court that he has had to date.

He became one of the league’s most feared 3-point shooters — a player that other teams really had to scout for. With the Thunder’s motion and gravity on offense, teams had to take account for Joe, and be careful not to lose him in the chaos.

Shooters who drew the fastest closeout speeds from opposing defenders last season. pic.twitter.com/UgEOuFbaBd
— Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) August 4, 2025

The best part about Joe for Oklahoma City, is that he’s the perfect regular season presence on the roster. Even though his impact wasn’t as large in the postseason, it was still an absolutely terrific campaign for Joe.

Oklahoma City is still young, so playing competitive basketball in the regular season has never been an issue. But as injuries arise, the stars need rest, and the veterans want to preserve their minutes, regular season players will be massive for the Thunder. And that’s not to limit Joe to a regular season role — he hit some huge buckets in the playoffs. But his role in the Thunder’s rotation in the regular season is indispensable.

Players like Joe allow the Thunder to succeed no matter who’s in the lineup. Joe can score 20 points on any given night, and his bag isn’t limited to 3-point shots at all. His improved defense was evident, too, and another season of attention to detail on that side of the ball could equal an uptick in playoff minutes.

Now that Oklahoma City has him on a value contract, it feels like he’s here to stay. He has room to build off of a career-year, and his impact on the regular season could help the Thunder experience the same success as a season ago.