OKC Thunder: 3 players that could benefit most from Chris Paul’s departure

Player who could benefit from Chris Paul departure No. 3) Hamidou Diallo

Entering his third season in the NBA Hamidou Diallo is now the longest-serving player on the OKC Thunder roster.  In their media sessions, Sam Presti and Mark Daigneault each pinpointed Diallo citing his adversity and resiliency. That factor alone speaks to what that duo is expecting from the youngster this season. Presti used ‘resiliency’ ad nauseam in his media session indicating players who demonstrated that quality would seemingly leap to the top of the playing charts.

That emphasis can be read one of two ways. Either the Thunder front office expects with increased opportunity Diallo will shine. Or they could be subtly throwing down the gauntlet for contract negotiation in the offseason.

Diallo was the 45th pick in the 2018 draft by the Nets and landed in OKC via a draft night trade. As such he doesn’t have the same protection first-round picks do. The Thunder could easily move on from Diallo if he doesn’t prove he can consistently produce and deserves to be a part of the future core.

In fairness to the youngster, injuries took their toll. Last year he began the season strong until a brutal foul by LeBron James caused him to miss significant time. He returned never quite looking comfortable and then upped the ante in the bubble looking much closer to the player who started the season.

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Looking at those segments:

• 12 games pre injury: 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 15.4 percent from deep
• Initial 11 games after return: 5.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 27.3 percent from deep
• Prior to season suspension -15 games: 4.7points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 18.2 percent from deep
• Eight bubble seeding games:10.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and shot a blistering 40.9 percent from deep on 2.8 attempts.

The key takeaway from the above was how vital Diallo’s contributions were in the bubble. The Thunder had a tough closing schedule. His improved rebounding and scoring were substantial. Yet the big takeaway was how well Hami shot the ball from the perimeter. Expecting him to shoot over 40 percent from deep would be a reach but if the wing can hit close to the league average that would be a significant contribution.

The Kentucky alum won’t be the player Daigneault turns to in terms of making up assists but if he’s improved his ballhandling and playmaking skills during the offseason that will be a great help to Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates.

Most NBA youngsters improve between seasons and showcase their biggest step in the third year.

For Diallo, he’ll need to make a significant step if he wants to secure a position within this franchise and lock down his next contract.  His first step will be showcasing that growth, helping replace some of the two-way production of Paul and stepping up to show he can help lead the club into their next winning era.