OKC Thunder Must Replace One of NBA's Best Movement Shooters

The Oklahoma City Thunder made significant changes to the roster following the 2025-26 campaign.

For the first time since winning an NBA title, OKC had to move on from multiple rotation players for financial reasons. Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins were all traded over the offseason, with Dort and Wiggins heading to Atlanta while Joe was sent to Detroit.

As contract extensions for multiple players on Oklahoma City's roster begin to kick in over the coming years, the Thunder needed to shed salary to get underneath the second apron and save money for future extensions, like Cason Wallace, who is currently eligible to sign his next deal.

Joe will join a Pistons' squad that won 60 games in 2025-26 and could be a strong team again in 2026-27 if Detroit figures out Jalen Duren's contract situation. Last year, the Pistons' struggled from the perimeter, and adding a sharpshooter like Joe should be a significant boost for the team's offense.

According to data from Sportradar, Joe has knocked down 265 catch-and-shoot triples on the move over the past three seasons, shooting 42% on those attempts. The former Thunder guard has shot the second highest percentage in the NBA on catch-and-shoot attempts on the move during that span, trailing only Steph Curry, who shot 43.1% on shots in that category.

Players with the most catch-and-shoot threes made *on the move* in the last three seasons combined. pic.twitter.com/EVyg55L8Xn
— Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) September 13, 2026

Joe ranks sixth in the NBA for most catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts on the move over the past three seasons.

From 2023-2026 in Oklahoma City, Joe shot above 41% from beyond the arc each year, taking at least six attempts per game each of the last two years.

Now, the Thunder will be tasked with replacing Joe, who averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 45.5% from the field and 42.3% from deep, in the team's rotation.

The 27-year-old played more than 21 minutes per game in 2025-26, making 71 appearances and nine starts during his final season in OKC.

While Joe was an important part of Oklahoma City's rotation during the regular season, the former second-round was phased out of the lineup during the postseason each of the last two years.

To replace Joe's production in the regular season, the Thunder will likely lean on Jared McCain, who was acquired at the 2026 trade deadline, and Bennett Stirtz, the No. 16 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Even with multiple solid options, replicating Joe's shooting production will be difficult for OKC.

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