Why OKC Thunder’s Bench Production Isn’t Concerning

There are plenty of impressive takeaways from Oklahoma City’s hot start to the season. This Thunder team has found so many different ways to win, and the organization’s identity has remained the same. No matter who is on the floor, Oklahoma City will give full effort and display complete grit. The defense doesn’t change — no matter how many All-Defensive Team members they’re missing.

While it’s certainly impressive — 10-1 is hard to come by, there’s no doubt — it’s hard to fully evaluate Oklahoma City in its current state. The stars — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren — look fantastic. Isaiah Hartenstein has been playing his best basketball. Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace have broken out. And Isaiah Joe is red hot from the outside. But this Thunder team is missing so much fire power that it’s impossible to take in the full picture.

Oklahoma City’s bench has been desperately searching for someone to step up. Recently it has been Joe, who has been terrific since returning from injury. But between Brooks Barnhizer, Ousmane Dieng, and Chris Youngblood, nobody has separated themselves at all. In expanded opportunities, nobody seems to be taking advantage. Jaylin Williams has really struggled offensively, too. Overall, that group of players has represented the Thunder’s bench most nights. And while it hasn’t hurt the Thunder too much, it doesn’t feel ideal.

In Sunday night’s win at Memphis, the Thunder only got 13 points from its bench unit — and they all came from two players. Joe and Alex Caruso came up with the Thunder’s entire bench scoring category.

In total, some of Oklahoma City's best players have been spot starters. For example, both Ajay Mitchell and Aaron Wiggins have been thrust into starting roles when available, and both of them have been exceptional. Mitchell, Wiggins, and Joe all rank inside the Thunder's top five in terms of scoring.

When Jalen Williams and Lu Dort return to the lineup, all three will be filling out the Thunder's bench. While the production from the reserves looks spotty now, once the Thunder are finally healthy, a handful of its best players will be providing points off the bench. The end of the bench has had a few weeks of opportunity to prove themselves, but the reinforcements are on the horizon now.

When Oklahoma City is finally healthy, we'll have the full picture of what this team looks like. And if the shorthanded version is any indication, it's scary for the rest of the league.