The Oklahoma City Thunder continued their fantastic 2022 NBA Offseason with another key transaction. The OKC Thunder have hired long-time San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Chip Engelland. For the past 17 seasons, Engelland has served as the Spurs’ shooting coach and is regarded as the best in the business. The Spurs credit him with the improved shooting of stars like Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, and Dejonte Murray. Even recently the Spurs credited Engelland with Keldon Johnson’s shooting strides.
OKC Thunder General Manager Sam Presti worked with Chip Engelland during his time in San Antonio before taking over as GM for the Thunder franchise. The organization now goes and hires away one of the top-paid assistant coaches in the league. This shows a tangible investment into player development and financial backing of Presti’s long-term rebuild plan from OKC owner Clay Bennett.
As Engelland is set to join Mark Daigneault’s coaching staff, the Oklahoma City Thunder have many players on their current roster that project to improve under his leadership. The Thunder are also putting together a great coaching staff around Mark Daigneault who, despite the team’s record, has past his first few seasons in Bricktown with flying colors. The Thunder bench now includes the league’s best shooting coach and one of the best young defensive minds in the game, Kameron Woods.
Who can benefit the most from Chip Engelland joining the OKC Thunder coaching staff?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have always struggled with one key area of development, shooting. Thinking back on all those great teams in Thunder history and their shortcomings were often attributed to their shooting woes. The organization is hopeful this coaching change will lead to different results in the next era of Thunder basketball.
The Oklahoma City Thunder could have a superstar on their hands if Josh Giddey improves his jump shot under new assistant coach Chip Engelland
A year ago today, the OKC Thunder selected Josh Giddey with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. This move was viewed as a reach at the time but that narrative shifted almost instantly. The Warriors were zeroed in on selecting the NBL star with the 7th pick.
Giddey took home All-Rookie honors on the back of a fantastic rookie season that saw him claim all but one Western Conference Rookie of the Year award, only losing out on an award due to injury.
The only hiccup in what was a near-perfect rookie year for Josh Giddey was his shooting numbers. Giddey shot 27 percent from three, was just shooting 25 percent on non-corner triples, and only increased to 32 percent on corner threes.
While the shooting numbers did increase in the mid-range as the 19-year-old guard shot 44 percent in the mid-range (76th percentile) and 44 percent in the short mid-range. Around the rim, Giddey struggled shooting just 57 percent.
While the 6’8 guard made jaw-dropping passes and projects to be an elite playmaker, finding a shooting stroke can take him to superstardom.
Could Chip Engelland turn Chet Holmgren into an elite sharpshooter with his unicorn skillset?
Chet Holmgren was fantastic at Gonzaga, putting himself in a position to be the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Holmgren shot 39 percent from three-point land at Gonzaga, while averaging 14 points, ten rebounds, and two assists.
The 2nd overall pick shot 40 percent from distance during the NBA Summer League, averaged over a point per possession, and looked the part on both ends of the floor throughout five games.
Holmgren already projects to be a really good three-point shooter but what if Chip Engelland takes him to the next level? With his guard-like skills and rim protection, if Chet Holmgren can turn in around or above 40 percent from three-point land, he can be one of the best players in the NBA.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping Chet Holmgren can become one of those top players in the league, and now they are surrounding him with all the resources possible to reach that lofty goal. Holmgren has the intangibles, the skillset, and now the stability to thrive in OKC.
Chip Engelland can overhaul the perception of Darius Bazley, and help him cash in on an extension
The Oklahoma City Thunder are trying to figure out who should stay and who should go in this whole roster crunch saga, while Sam Presti has to waive three standard NBA contracts this roster is not getting any clearer.
Darius Bazley is entering a contract year during the 2022-23 NBA Season, and the organization will have to take a hard look at the 2019 first-round pick who has spent three polarizing seasons in OKC to this point.
Over the last year, Bazley has turned into an elite defender that can switch 1-5 with his 6’8 208 pound frame, which according to his Instagram is now up to 220 pushing for 225. Though, the offense has been slow to come around.
Averaging just 10 points, five rebounds, and an assist per game over his career while shooting 42 percent from the floor, 29 percent from three, and 68 percent at the line. Bazley spent last year battling for a spot in the starting lineup after being benched mid-way through the season by second-year coach Mark Daigneault.
Bazley shot 33 percent from the corner, 29 percent from the non-corner area, and 30 percent from three-point land overall. His highest mark from distance is 34 percent during his rookie campaign. The former New Balance intern has never stroked the trey ball well.
This higher by Sam Presti is huge for Darius Bazley who needs a massive year to cash in on his next contract.
The Oklahoma City Thunder hired Chip Engelland to benefit everyone on the roster, but it does provide Ousmane Dieng with All-Star Potential
The OKC Thunder invested multiple future first-round picks in a trade with the New York Knicks to leap back into the first round and select Ousmane Dieng with the 11th overall pick, while the Thunder still held on to the 12th selection. This gave Sam Presti a trio of lottery picks with Ousmane Dieng having the most question marks.
Dieng is a 6’11 forward that plays the game like a guard though the jump shot is slow to come around as he is shooting just 20 percent from distance. If that mark increase north of 35 percent, with his passing, playmaking, and scoring ability, this investment by Sam Presti might pay off ten-fold.
This move by the Thunder helps out everyone on the roster because outside of Mike Muscala, no one is a true sniper from the perimeter.
For Aaron Wiggins, the Maryland product could become a fantastic three-and-D option with his versatility on the defensive end of the floor, Wiggins can add to his value but improve his 31 percent shooting from distance.
Lu Dort, Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Jaylin Williams, and even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can all see their game and reputations improve with strides in their jump shot.
Sam Presti hiring this shot doctor is a step in the right direction putting this team on a winning track.