OKC Thunder: Starting lineup locks, fringe and rising stars

As the ‘resiliency era’ tips off lineups featuring starters, reserves, and up-and-comers could be fluid all season. TI dives into the possibilities.

It’s no secret the OKC Thunder are hitting the reset button. Anybody who follows the NBA has heard about it, and most people who follow the Thunder have been dreading it.

Eventually, every organization goes through the pains of a rebuild.

Last season, Thunder fans were led on an unexpected and exciting journey to the NBA Playoffs. COVID-19 forced the season to come to an abrupt halt in March, but play resumed in the bubble in August with the Thunder dropping their first-round series against the Houston Rockets, 4-3.

Still, playoff seeding was unexpected, and the series against the Rockets allowed multiple Thunder players an opportunity to flex their muscles and prove their worth.

The offseason broke up that magical core with Chris Paul getting traded to the Phoenix Suns, Steven Adams to the New Orleans Pelicans, Danilo Gallinari to the Atlanta Hawks, and Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Dennis Schroder to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Though those weren’t the only players moved during Oklahoma City’s wild offseason, they were the most impactful players on last year’s overperforming roster.

Here’s what to expect.

Who rises and who falls for the OKC Thunder?

If you remove Trevor Ariza, George Hill, and Al Horford from the equation – which is anything but a guarantee by the March 25 trade deadline – the OKC Thunder have the youngest roster in the NBA at an average of 22.7 years.

The guarantees are known as the Thunder return only two starters from last season’s team, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at point guard and Luguentz Dort at small forward. Hamidou Diallo will get the nod at shooting guard, Bazley at power forward, and Horford at the center position.

The question remains: How long will this rotation stay intact?

Hill will back up Gilgeous-Alexander. Hill is a capable ball-handler who has averaged 11.1 points per game on 45.7 percent shooting from the field over his 12 NBA seasons.

Theo Maledon was drafted 34th overall in November’s draft is, arguably, the most prepared player drafted by Oklahoma City having competed in Europe over the last few years. Currently, Maledon is a question mark as he’s listed day-to-day due to undisclosed personal reasons.

But fans are excited after Maledon’s preseason display in which he averaged 15.5 points in 29.7 minutes over two games, and depending on how the first half of the season unfolds, Maledon could find himself with a more significant role down the road, especially if Hill is moved as expected or if Diallo underperforms at the two.

With Ariza also likely on the move before or at the trade deadline, the door opens wider for rookie Aleksej Pokusevski to back up Bazley at the power forward position.

Justin Jackson looks to back up Dort. Jackson has averaged 6.5 points through four seasons in the NBA but can elevate his game this season in a system that compliments his style of floor spacing and ball moving play.

Mike Muscala will play behind Horford at center and will likely take over as starter when – or if – Horford is moved.

Crunch-time ballers

Because the Thunder roster is ever-changing, it’s hard to know where each player will fall when it comes to the pivotal moments of close games.

The reality is, the Thunder need to lose. But the team is filled with young, hungry ballers looking to prove themself and there is no better time to do just that than now on a team in the midst of a full rebuild.

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There’s little information involving the current Thunder lineup on the court together. Aside from a brief look in the preseason, most of these players are taking the court together for the first time.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Bazley, and Dort all shared time on the court last season. During 111 minutes, the Thunder posted a paltry 92.1 offensive rating.

Defensively, the trio helped the Thunder post a 108.8 rating, which was pretty solid compared to the rest of the league.

It’s no secret that Dort showed out in the bubble, locking down James Harden in ways fans didn’t expect. Bazley has proven to be a solid defender, and Gilgeous-Alexander improved his defensive rating from 112 in 2018-19 with the Los Angeles Clippers to 109 in 2019-20 with the Thunder.

In close games, those three will need to be on the court to maximize the Thunder’s ability to score and defend. Diallo would be another solid defensive option for the Thunder in the fourth quarter.

Either way, one thing nearly everyone can agree on is that Thunder players and fans have a tough season ahead. As the season unfolds, we’ll get a better idea of who can be a future star for this team and who will fade from the spotlight.