All season long, analysts around the league have talked about the depth of the Oklahoma City Thunder's roster.
Even when they were shorthanded after the All-Star Break, missing both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams for a large stretch, they had a seemingly endless string of contributors that were able to step up and help keep the team afloat. It's a testament to the connectedness of the identity the coaching staff has ingrained in every single player on the roster. With the Thunder, there's definitely a "next man up" mentality.
But now that the playoffs have started, the value of this depth changes entirely. Rotations are shortened, and Mark Daigneault must figure out the exact moments he wants to spring each of his pieces into action.
One would imagine that Alex Caruso, at some point, will be the tool that is chosen for the job.
In Game 1 against the Phoenix Suns, however, he saw just over 13 minutes on the court. This falls pretty closely in line with the strategy the Thunder have deployed all season in keeping Caruso's minutes limited. By managing his workload, they've hoped to keep him fully healthy for when he's most needed.
Even if it didn't come in Game 1, that time is coming soon.
Alex Caruso will still be one of the Thunder's most valuable playoff contributors when he's called upon
It's hard to overstate Carusos's importance during their championship run last season. He's one of the most disruptive perimeter defenders in the league, fighting over screens and staying in contact with his man at virtually all times. Across the 23 games the Thunder played during the 2024-25 playoffs, Caruso saw less than 20 minutes on the court just three times. He averaged 24.4 minutes per game over the course of that entire run.
This season, Caruso has dealt with a number of minor injuries, some of which were likely sustained during their last playoff run and re-aggravated throughout the regular season. He played in just 56 games.
This is not a new story for Caruso. The Thunder, largely, handled his workload the same way last season. Caruso is one of the most fun defensive players to watch in the entire league, and his lack of extensive playing time can be frustrating from a fan's perspective.
From the perspective of the team, however, it will soon pay massive dividends. Having Caruso (and their collection of stars) fully healthy heading into the playoffs was likely the ultimate goal.
Maybe his time doesn't happen in the first round. It seems that, with the emergence of Ajay Mitchell, they don't truly need him against Phoenix. But his clutch shot-making and staunch defense are part of the Thunder's winning formula. As they advance deeper into the playoffs, you can bet Caruso will be right there in the midst of it all.
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