The OKC Thunder are as close to a complete team as you will find in the NBA, but they are still not perfect.
Oklahoma City's all-around playmaking ranks toward the bottom half of the league and could stand in the way of the team repeating as champions this season.
The Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren-led squad is extremely talented. SGA is arguably the best guard in the NBA right now.
However, the reigning MVP is not an elite playmaking guard.
The 27-year-old is capable of creating for others, but he's only averaged 5.1 assists per outing for his entire career. The average has increased in recent seasons amid Gilgeous-Alexander's growth as a star in the league, but he is still only recording 6.0 assists per outing so far in the 2025-26 campaign.
Though a respectable mark without question, it's not elite.
Other guards, such as Luka Doncic, Tyrese Maxey, and Cade Cunningham, often set up their teammates for good looks more consistently. There aren't many other true playmakers on the Thunder as well, meaning OKC's assist numbers are far from ideal.
The Thunder have rather concerning assist statistics
Oklahoma City's lack of assists has yet to impact the team's overall performance. At 10-1, the Thunder currently hold the best record in the entire NBA.
When looking toward the postseason, though, one has to wonder if an inability to create for others could be an issue in a playoff series.
Oklahoma City is averaging just 24.9 assists per contest and also rank just 29th in the league in assist percentage at 57.1.
The good news is that they take care of the ball, as OKC's 11.7 turnovers per contest are second in the league, trailing only the Boston Celtics' 11.5 mark.
The Thunder are third in assist-to-turnover ratio as well. If OKC struggled with turnovers, the assist concern would be even more pressing.
Still, it could be a problem down the road.
In the end, this Thunder squad's offense gets results. They hold the seventh-best offensive rating (118.0) in the league. OKC's defense leads the way, though, with a rating of 104.5.
A lack of assists won't make or break the Thunder's championship outlook. However, it is a reminder that building the perfect team is almost impossible.
Oklahoma City's roster is incredibly impressive, and the team will likely make a deep postseason run once again, but opponents will look to take advantage of the Thunder's playmaking concerns.
A lack of assists could prove to be the Thunder's championship kryptonite.