This past summer, the OKC Thunder committed to north of $800 million in their big three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.
During Sunday's preseason opener, none of these studs were active.
While the shelving of their high-priced cornerstones may have been a bit upsetting for some fans, as they haven't seen this trio log in-game action since late June, a positive takeaway from the exhibition against Charlotte was that coach Mark Daigneault focused on showcasing some of the club's lower-cost, lesser buzzed-about talents.
In fact, the absence of Shai, J-Dub, and Chet specifically gave Aaron Wiggins the chance to serve as the de facto number one option within the team's scheme, a role he would not only make the most of but also further establish himself as the league's biggest bargain player in the process.
Aaron Wiggins reminds Thunder fans how big of a bargain talent he is
Though best known as the second unit spark plug of the reigning NBA Champions, since joining the team back in 2021, Thunder fans have been well aware of how special a talent Wiggins is as a whole.
From the ongoing joke among the franchise's faithful followers that he "saved basketball" to the fact that he's coming off a career-best season where he dropped 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 48.8 percent shooting from the floor and 38.3 percent shooting from deep while finishing with the fifth-best plus-minus rating on the team (minimum 50 games), it's undeniable that the hype surrounding Wiggins out in the Sooner State is already real.
However, Sunday's performance may have only increased overall excitement regarding the 26-year-old and strengthened the notion that his contract is one of the greatest values in the game today.
Wiggins wasn't just the primary ball handler for the Thunder during their 135-114 win against the Hornets -- he was clearly the focal point of their entire offense.
By halftime, the wing registered 20 points on a highly efficient 75.0 percent shooting from the field and, once he was pulled for good in the third with OKC handily up by 20, he had already made his mark all across the stat-line, finishing the night with 23 points and 6 assists on 71.4 percent shooting from the field and a plus-minus rating of +23.
While he may be regarded as a secondary offensive weapon, Wiggins' outing against Charlotte should serve as proof that he's capable of far more when given the opportunity.
After last year's showing, there was already a case to be made that, at an average salary clip of $9 million through 2028-29 and with a descending cap hit, he's the biggest bargain in the NBA.
Following Sunday's preseason opener, this case only seems to have grown stronger.