Tre Mann Could Change Course of Thunder’s Season

Tre Mann has the potential to elevate the Thunder's ceiling as a team.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen an impressive 4-6 start to the season, but it’s been largely due to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ascension. He’s averaged 30.8 points per game through the first ten games, and he’s looked like a star while doing it.

The Thunder seemed to have let a couple of those games slip, and that wasn’t because Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t show up, but he lacked a consistent secondary scorer that carries the load when Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t or can’t.

With the Thunder’s starting roster, there is no player that proves to be a consistent secondary scorer, that is until Josh Giddey or Lu Dort turn their season around, but a bench player could fill that role nicely.

For Tre Mann, the sixth man role plays perfect to his playstyle. His electric scoring that every fan knows Mann is capable of could provide the Thunder of what they need to find more wins. If Mann can use the minutes that Gilgeous-Alexander spends on the bench getting himself buckets, the offense won’t have many dry spurts that end up costing the Thunder the game. If that can happen, Dort and Giddey won’t be forced into the secondary scoring role, either, and they can focus on playing to their strengths and adding extra scoring when needed.

Simply put, Mann could elevate this team’s ceiling this season even more while allowing other guys on the squad to play in their comfortable roles. While Giddey and Dort are both capable of being secondary scorers, being forced into that role hasn’t been easy for them as both players have struggled in the early stages of this season.

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