Are OKC Thunder youthful starting unit ahead of schedule?

If this unit continues to excel would it affect the timeline?

There are ample questions this group poses moving forward both in the near future and longer-term. Any moves Sam Presti makes could shift what happens with this unit.

For example, a top-talent in the draft could shift the dynamic of who starts and who comes off the bench. Although, many in Thunder Nation have expressed the desire to not use the draft capital to obtain a young asset that could happen.

It becomes more of a reality especially if this unit continues to perform above expectations. It’s a good bet the Mavericks and Grizzlies didn’t expect Luka Doncic and Ja Morant to ascend as quickly as they have. When they did it changed the dynamic of those franchise’s timelines.

The good news is Presti has so many picks that giving up some of that capital doesn’t mean he has to empty the closet. Although the logical move would be to try to retain the picks particularly in the next few seasons caveats can be attached to picks they use in trades.

For example, three years from now in the 2023 draft the Thunder possesses their own pick, the Nuggets picks (protected1-14), the Heat’s pick (also lottery protected) and they can swap their own pick with the Clippers.

That’s three potential first-round picks in one year so if Presti elected to send out one of those as part of a trade package he could stipulate the receiving team would get the worst of the picks OKC owns. Or specify only two of the three picks would be in play (i.e. only the Nuggets and Heat picks). That would mean if their picks didn’t convey to the Thunder, then OKC also wouldn’t be giving up their own (or Clippers) pick.

What makes the success of this youthful starting five is each player is dealing with a new role or situation.

• Isaiah Roby played in three varsity games for a cumulative 11:24  last season. Playing major minutes this season is a massive shift let alone starting.
• Sophomore, Darius Bazley is still transitioning into his new role as a starter showing glimpses of his potential.
• Rookie Theo Maledon has already made a point to the masses that sleeping on him in the first round (if not the lottery) was unwise. For those of us who weren’t able to access much film on him and only had his limited stats to draw from perhaps there is some excuse to draw from. But franchises have scouts specifically in place to go see these players in person. From his first moments on the court this season, it was clear he was much more talented than his 34th draft selection.
• Luguentz Dort took the phrase ‘next man up’ and spun it into the best ‘carpe diem’ moment in the NBA in eons. While his offense can be hit or miss he’s the defensive captain of the Thunder and continues to grow in all aspects. His ability to step up when the spotlight is brightest and his work ethic have quickly made him an untouchable on arguably the most economical contract in the NBA.
• While franchise star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is the most experienced starter he’s also adjusting to a very different role. In just his third season he’s become the alpha playmaker and scorer. More importantly, he’s embraced his role of leader and is accomplishing it with remarkable poise and efficiency.

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Last season, whenever the Thunder hit clutch time fans had a sense of calm — like the team would always find a way to win. This team while still young and developing has similar DNA at its core.

So many young teams have talent but molding an identity can take a long time (76ers) or requires a veteran presence to hone in on precisely what the club’s personality is (Suns with CP3 now). Others have talent but need a veteran presence or specialist to push them higher (Heat, Bucks).

What makes this young Thunder core so unique is they already possess that clutch gene and their defensive identity is deeply ingrained.  As the season progresses the next phase will be watching to see if they end up becoming the full-time starting unit. And more importantly, if they continue to win the games they weren’t projected to how that will impact the decisions Sam Presti makes in the offseason.

Ultimately, it’s a great problem to have and one many franchises are undoubtedly a bit envious of.