Recent struggles for promising Thunder youngster only concerning on paper

The OKC Thunder are off to a storming start, going 11-3 through their first 14 games. Despite this top-flight success, however, they have been far from a complete unit, as Oklahoma City has endured quite a few injuries during these early stages.

This would be a concern if Mark Daigneault's squad had no real depth, but they field some of the all-around talents the league has to offer, particularly within their backcourt.

Headlined by scoring superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and then defensive geniuses Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso, the Thunder have managed to build resilience and strength amid their staggering injury woes. 

Of course, one player who has been off to a rough go during OKC's hot start is the second-year point guard Cason Wallace, as he is going through the worst shooting slump of his career to start the 2024-2025 NBA season. 

Wallace made a name for himself during his rookie season with his perimeter defense and three-point shooting ability.

The defense has been there this year, averaging 1.7 steals per game and a defensive box plus-minus of +2.6 in 25.1 minutes each game. Unfortunately, the offense has gone silent, as Cason is struggling from deep and, frankly, the field as a whole.

Wallace has gone 10-for-40 from deep this season, translating to a disappointing 25.0 percent, and has gone from sporting a 49.1 percent conversion rate from the field during his rookie year to 39.6 percent this season. 

Now, while these kinds of statistical dips may often be seen as a cause for concern, it must be understood that Wallace is still incredibly young (21) and shows his impact in virtually every area of the game, not just in the shooting department.

Not to mention, he has had some impressive shooting games this year, such as during OKC's win against Portland back on November 1, where he went 3-of-5 from deep and shot 71.4 percent from the field. 

There is promise in his shot, it will just take time and faith that he can turn it around this season. 

It just becomes frustrating to see him shoot like this, especially when two of the three losses this season for the Thunder came down to one possession -- had Wallace just hit one shot from distance, this team would have come away with a victory. 

Even with the shooting woes, he has played a big part in why Oklahoma City has started off so strong.

With a five-day break of no games coming up for Oklahoma City, this could serve as the perfect time for Cason Wallace to work with storied shooting coach Chip Engelland. 

This upcoming stretch also may coincide brilliantly with the impending return of Isaiah Hartenstein, which could open up more scoring opportunities for Wallace thanks to some much-needed off-ball screens. 

All in all, there is no worry or panic needed for this slump the sophomore is going through, as brighter days are more than likely to be ahead for the promising two-way guard.