OKC Thunder: Another Healthy Season Instrumental to Competing for Championship

Being a championship contender takes many things, but luck can be the most important factor.

Building a team of talented, young players is one of the toughest things to do in the NBA. Over the past few years, Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti has not only built one of the most impressive young rosters in the NBA but also a team capable of competing at the top of the league.

Led by a big three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder have a core talented enough to compete for the foreseeable future. However, one of the most important abilities is availability, and that is far from guaranteed.

Last season, the Thunder’s big three combined to miss 18 games, while the starting lineup missed only 23 total. For reference, Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander combined to miss 21 games in the 2022-23 season, while Holmgren sat out the entire season with a foot injury.

Although another few games missed due to injury might not seem significant, only one game separated the first and third seeds in the Western Conference. Although the Thunder captured the top seed in the conference, a three-game losing streak without Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander nearly sunk Oklahoma City in April.

Jalen Williams’ 11 missed games last season were the most of the Thunder’s top eight players in minutes per game. Meanwhile, Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams each missing 13 games marked the most of any Thunder rotation player.

Still, the Thunder are better equipped to deal with injuries than most teams in the league. Carrying a 10-man rotation into the postseason, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault not only has the trust in his players but also has the roster to go deep on his bench.

Although injury-riddled seasons are generally associated with older teams, the Memphis Grizzlies had a non-stop plethora of injuries last season. As one of the league’s youngest teams and coming off back-to-back 56-win seasons, the Grizzlies fell into the lottery again after almost never getting to use their projected starting lineup.

Oklahoma City could have an active offseason, but staying in a position to be successful with or without the injury luck it had last season will be crucial to staying near the top of the NBA.

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