Amidst the OKC Thunder's injury stretch, there have been some important insights into some of their role players. Perhaps one development that has gone under the radar is the offensive development of superstar perimeter defender Cason Wallace.
In an increased offensive role, Wallace has taken advantage, upping his scoring and playmaking numbers while being more efficient.
With this in mind, if he can continue this valuable offensive ability in his normal, smaller role, his contract talks in June may reach a new stratosphere.
Offense has become simpler for Wallace
Per Databallr, in his last eight games, Wallace has averaged 12.5 points per game, 6.8 potential assists, and his true shooting percentage has gone up two percent. This increase in numbers has come with an increase in responsibility; his on-ball percentage has gone from 12.4 percent to 22 percent in this stretch, and his percent of involvement has gone up 9.8 percent as well.
These may not be world-breaking numbers, but his offensive struggles, specifically getting any creation inside the arc, made it difficult at times for the Thunder to play him for long stretches.
His driving capabilities have been evident during this stretch, with his newfound paint presence allowing shooters like Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain to have less pressure on the perimeter and catch fire for OKC.
If he can continue this aggressiveness with the ball, he can elevate the Thunder's shooting to heights that many OKC fans have been hoping for.
What could this improvement mean for Wallace's future?
The Thunder still have Wallace under contract for next season, giving them time to work out a contract before he hits restricted free agency in 2028.
With the strong possibility of him becoming a true two-way threat for OKC, the Thunder will need to make some difficult decisions about who to keep. Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Alex Caruso would be the first names to come up, each of whom is one of the oldest players on the team, along with having very movable contracts.
Wallace's defensive stardom gives him a high floor for a contract. He has already been named a Defensive Player of the Month this season and leads the league in total steals.
With now a seemingly healthy OKC roster, it will be interesting to see if Cason Wallace can continue to improve his offensive game, or if going back to his smaller role brings him back to his early-season struggles.