Should Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Increase 3-Point Volume Next Season?

The Thunder's superstar might need to consider a heavier dose of outside shots.

May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second half in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma City has arguably the best scorer in the league, but it might be time to alter his shot diet once again.

Next season, the Thunder will begin their journey toward their second NBA championship as they look to get back to the top of the mountain after falling short in 2026. While the Thunder have made some changes over the offseason, the team will still look largely the same next season, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will still be leading the way.

The two-time MVP has been among the best scorers in the league for the past few seasons, and his incredible efficiency has helped make the Thunder a nearly unstoppable force when healthy. Still, there could be some room for change in his offensive game next season, particularly from beyond the arc.

In Gilgeous-Alexander’s first MVP season, he took a career-high 5.7 3-point attempts per game, nailing those looks at a 37.5% clip. Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander improved his percentage to 38.6%, which was the second-highest of his career, but his volume dropped to only 4.4 attempts.

Considering some of the changes Oklahoma City made in the offseason and the challenges it faced in the postseason, Gilgeous-Alexander increasing his 3-point volume again could be wise. For starters, Gilgeous-Alexander’s outside shot has never looked as useful as it did last season.

After it seemed as if he was forcing himself to get up outside shots in previous years, his outside looks typically came well within the flow of his game last season, and he should be able to more seamlessly put more outside looks up at this stage of his career. It’s also quite notable that his outside shooting efficiency has dropped dramatically in each of the past two postseasons, so more volume and variability in his regular season attempts could loom large when the lights are brightest.

While his 4.4 attempts a night ranked fourth on the Thunder, his 3-point attempt rate of 22.6% was ahead of only Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein. His 3-point attempt rate is also uncharacteristic for a scorer of his caliber in the modern NBA, particularly for a guard, ranking last among the league’s top eight in points per game in that category.

Perhaps the Thunder don’t actually need one of the best and most efficient scorers in basketball to change his shooting profile, but there may be some benefits to Gilgeous-Alexander letting fly a bit more often from beyond the arc.