This summer, the OKC Thunder will have a slew of decisions to make regarding their roster configuration.
From the possibility of bringing on at least two first-round picks in this June's NBA Draft to attempting to duck under the dreaded second apron by parting ways with a few beloved, already established players, though their star core trio may remain the same, many of the complementary talents surrounding them are bound to change.
In a way, this could lead to numerous exciting new lineup configurations during their upcoming playoff run.
Possible Thunder departees could spark lineup experimentation
As was made painfully obvious during last year's title-winning excursion, too much experimentation can be hazardous.
However, just the right amount can be enough to make Oklahoma City's on-court punch much trickier to prepare for, and, in turn, keep an opposing team on its toes.
Come the offseason, the Thunder will presumably find themselves deciding on who among the likes of Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, and, perhaps worst of all, Cason Wallace is necessary to hold onto moving forward and who should be let go of (either via club option or trade) to avoid serious tax penalties moving forward.
While on the one hand the idea of moving on from any one of these players is certainly gut-wrenching, on the other it subtly gives coach Mark Daigneault a green light to mix and match his lineups between now and the end of the postseason to figure out who, in theory, could be most easily replaced by the crop of ballers surrounding them on the depth chart.
Though the starting five should still be the battle-tested unit of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Hartenstein, this doesn't necessarily need to be the grouping of talent that's overwhelmingly rolled out on the floor.
Perhaps running a three-guard set with J-Dub and Holmgren rounding out the four and five positions, respectively, could give the Thunder an added boost in the pace department while maintaining two-way versatility.
Maybe prioritizing lineups with the stupendous tandem of Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell serving as the focal points will entice coach Daigneault in key moments.
Considering how deep this talent pool is, there are a bevy of ways the Thunder can go about experimenting with their in-game rotations throughout the playoffs.
In many ways, the idea that some of their core members may be heading for the exit come summertime might just strengthen the coaching staff's interest in doing so.