OKC Thunder Must Value Regular Season in any Isaiah Joe Decision

The Thunder's sharpshooter hasn't made an ideal impact in the postseason, but he's been an incredibly valuable regular season asset.

Apr 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) celebrates a shot against the Phoenix Suns in the first half during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City has plenty of decisions to make in the offseason, but the postseason can’t be the only thing in mind.

Over the next few weeks, Sam Presti will have his hands full as he tries to determine what the future of the Thunder will look like. While it’s clear that Presti will almost certainly refrain from any blockbuster moves, the Thunder will have to decide on how to balance their financial situation with the output on the court in the postseason.

That conundrum leaves several players in an uncertain spot going into the offseason, and Isaiah Joe is among those names. With his fourth year with the Thunder recently wrapping up, Joe’s situation is a bit more complicated than some of the others on the team.

With another two years and nearly $23 million left on his deal, including a team option for 2027-28, Joe is a potential trade candidate this summer. Entering the postseason, it seemed as if Joe might be safe going into the offseason after a career year, but his struggles in the playoffs showed up once again.

In the regular season, Joe averaged 11.1 points while shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc, both career-highs. However, as the Thunder shortened their rotation in the playoffs, Joe’s averages dropped to 4.8 points on 34.8% shooting from deep.

Getting a DNP-CD for Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals and playing double-digit minutes only six times in the playoff run, Joe’s postseason performance isn’t something working in his favor. Although the Thunder wouldn’t miss Joe’s contributions much from April through June, the Thunder can’t underestimate his importance from October through March.

Shooting six 3-point attempts per game in the regular season, Joe was critical to the Thunder’s spacing throughout the year and had some big shooting nights that almost single-handedly pushed the Thunder over the top. Playing alongside stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, Joe is always ready to put up an open jumper and is always in the right spot.

Playing in 71 games this season, Joe was a key piece of the Thunder’s success as a player who could provide some instant offense amid so many injuries. While the addition of Jared McCain may alter Joe’s overall importance in an 82-game season, having multiple sharpshooters could be a real benefit for the Thunder’s offense.

As the Thunder look to build a roster to compete for a title again next season, Joe’s future is as uncertain as anyone’s, but his regular season production would be tough to replace.