The Oklahoma City Thunder need all hands on deck for their looming playoff run.
Last season, they got contributions from across their roster, especially from Isaiah Joe and Alex Caruso, en route to the NBA Finals. This year, they'll need the same level of connectivity and depth if they want to grind their way through the gauntlet of the Western Conference.
Eyes have come off of Cason Wallace offensively since the roster got back to full strength. But he's still been one of the league's premier defensive disruptors, and he flashed an aggression and a scoring acumen during the absence of the team's two lead guards that is promising, to say the least.
He obviously won't be a primary option in the playoffs. But Wallace's time is coming, and this playoff run could cement his place as one of Oklahoma City's most formidable two-way weapons.
This will, of course, have implications when he becomes extension-eligible this offseason. But it could also have a direct effect upon the Thunder's decision on Lu Dort's team option.
Their backcourt is already loaded with contributors. If Wallace breaks out during this playoff run, it could leave them team with no other option than to move on from Dort.
A strong playoff performance from Cason Wallace could make Lu Dort's player option even more questionable
On paper, Wallace's offensive stats look much the same as they did last season. Through 77 games, he averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, knocking down 35.1% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
But there was a stretch , when both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell were sidelined, where he looked incredibly effective on that end of the floor. Between Feb. 4 and Feb. 25, Wallace averaged 14.8 points on 47.5% shooting from the field. He also took on major ball-handling duties during that stretch, posting 5.4 assists to just 1.7 turnovers.
Both Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell will be on the court during the playoffs. In an ideal world, Wallace won't be asked to take on these sort of offensive responsibilities.
But there's always moments during a deep playoff run where a otherwise peripheral contributor needs to step up. Wallace is a prime candidate to do so.
Couple that with his defensive impact (he's sixth in defensive estimated plus-minus this season, per Dunks & Threes), and a strong playoff run could push his value even higher as the Thunder attempt to negotiate his rookie extension this offseason.
Oklahoma City, meanwhile, will need to reckon with the second apron. As the extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren kick in, the team options for Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Kenrich Williams will all become more difficult decisions.
Given the overlap in Wallace and Dort's games, a hefty extension for Wallace could make Dort's future with the organization more cloudy. It's a difficult reality to face, but a strong postseason from Wallace could ultimately leave Dort in the dust this offseason.
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