3 Swing players for the OKC Thunder ahead of the 2023-24 season
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder could be among the best teams in the NBA during the 2023-24 season. In fact, some already rank the Thunder in the top half of the league. After a surprise 40-win season that ended a game shy of the NBA playoffs with a 1-1 NBA Play-in record, the Oklahoma City Thunder have built this roster and young core to give the fanbase a ton of excitement for this coming year.
The Western Conference will be tough, ultra-competitive, and include some fresh faces. The entire NBA will look a tad different with the addition of the NBA in-season tournament. With one of the best young cores in the NBA and a roster that is currently overflowing with talent, the OKC Thunder could see a few different outcomes this season.
Three players who could swing the season for the OKC Thunder, how good can they be?
It would not be surprising to see the Oklahoma City Thunder end up in the playoffs, the play-in tournament, or even a surprising tumble where they barely miss out on postseason basketball. Obviously, some of those scenarios are more likely than others. Ultimately, I think the OKC Thunder will be a good enough regular-season team to earn a top-six seed in the Western Conference, allowing them to skip the rollercoaster of the play-in tournament altogether.
The Oklahoma City Thunder could see three names swing their season in a positive way with a breakout season. Joining the mainstays of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and company. A deep young rotation pioneered by Mark Daigneault will be interesting to follow all season long.