Sam Presti Assesses Josh Giddey's Performance and Future in Oklahoma City

The biggest topic of conversation surrounding the Oklahoma City Thunder's offseason plans mainly revolves around Josh Giddey, as the debate on his fit and future with the team continues to grow.

The 21-year-old's tenure with the organization initially started with a ton of promise, coming into the league as a brilliant playmaker with all of the tools to develop into a cornerstone piece at either guard position. Things started to flip last season with some extreme offensive struggles and an inability to fully gel as a starter, leading to Mark Daigneault finally opting to bench in Games 5 and 6 against the Dallas Mavericks.

Giddey went through so many ups and downs over the last year, making it nearly impossible for him to put together a sound and consistent regular season campaign. Averages of 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game don't look bad on paper, but his questionable defense and 33.7% 3-point shooting created some problems throughout the year.

With that, it's easy to wonder what the decision will be for Oklahoma City regarding Giddey's place with the team next season, but looking at General Manager Sam Presti's comments, it seems the organization remains optimistic about the young guard.

"He's 21. 21-year-olds generally have up-and-down years," Presti said. "He is tough, and he is clutch. He's been asked to change some things, and he hasn't flinched one time...I think he's a significantly better player at the end of this season than he was last season. That's not debatable."

With only three seasons under his belt, saying there isn't room for Giddey to get back on track would be a lie. Not every player goes through a natural up and down curve throughout their career, down seasons can happen at any point. But a down season doesn't necessarily mean he is declining, it just means there's more he needs to add to keep improving.

The fit is still another issue, though. In the playoffs it seemed as if Giddey played worse when he was alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and hurt the starting lineup's offensive capabilites overall with his inability to space the floor and impact the game without the ball in his hands. A bench role suited his skill set much better, even if it didn't translate into wins.

However, Presti seems to doubt that the guard can't have a place with the organization next season.

"We're assuming that the team is going to remain frozen. The team is going to change significantly. ...I can tell you he won't have to fit on this team, because this team is over," Presti said.

The off-season will certainly bring new faces to the Thunder in one way or another, and by getting faces that address its needs, it can help alleviate the weakness of Giddey. Whether that be from adding 3-point shooting depth or wing defenders, the roster could be shaped up to play to his strengths more, even if it's on the second unit.

Next season will bring a whole new look even with a lot of familiar names, and as of right now, Giddey seems likely to stay put unless things drastically change.

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