The OKC Thunder are arguably the deepest team in the entire league in 2024-25.
Through 71 games played, coach Mark Daigneault finds himself frequently shelling out double-digit minutes to roughly 13 individuals a night and has regularly rotated different players into his starting five.
What has ultimately come as a result of this constant movement is a number-one-seeded 59-12 record and a league-leading 12.7 net rating.
And while such depth has been an absolute luxury thus far, as we inch closer to the end of the regular season, the flip side of this top-rate success is that it makes coach Daigneault's job that much more difficult when it comes to who he decides to axe from the rotation come playoff time.
Generally speaking, teams tend to cut down on players used in their in-game rotations during postseason play to get the most out of their high-end talents. Last season, we saw the Thunder participate in this type of trimming by shortening their rotation from 12 to nine.
Now, heading into the 2025 NBA Playoffs, it goes without saying that Oklahoma City will have pre-set staples who will unquestionably be a part of their on-court scheme, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren being the main headliners in such a category.
However, this still leaves several others eligible to receive the boot, with three names, in particular, who are at serious risk of falling on the outside looking in on a rotation spot come the postseason.
Kenrich Williams
A beloved member of coach Daigneault's regular rotation, Kenrich Williams has established himself as quite a valuable commodity within Oklahoma City's rotation.
From his trusty floor spacing skills (shooting 38.7 percent from deep on the year) to his innate defensive abilities, Kenny Hustle has endeared himself to the Thunder faithful throughout his five-year tenure with the club and is currently putting forth arguably his most efficient and impactful brand of basketball yet.
Still, despite his established presence in the team's scheme, it seems that his services may be eligible for cutting once playoff time rolls around, especially if OKC has a fully healthy roster to work with.
Though he's capable of playing anywhere from the three to a very small ball five, this squad has an overabundance of options at all of these positions that, frankly, deserve to be prioritized over Williams.
At the wing, they already have guys like Aaron Wiggins, Alex Caruso, and Isaiah Joe, who are guaranteed to get some minutes behind Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams, and down at the power forward and center slots, they have Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams vying for substantial time alongside the likes of J-Dub and Chet Holmgren as well.
Simple process of elimination seems to lead to the unfortunate possibility that Kenrich Williams could see a similar fate to that of last year's playoff run, where he will log minimal minutes along the way.
Dillon Jones
Throughout his first season with the Thunder, Dillon Jones' role within the club's rotation has been rather sporadic, as he's consistently revolved in and out of the development league.
That said, as of late, he's become somewhat of a regular within coach Daigneault's lineup configurations.
Since January 19, the rookie has found himself logging 11.7 minutes when active. In six of these games, he's seen over 12 minutes played and, recently, received the first starting nod of his career, where he finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in 36 minutes.
Along the way he's showcased the impressive versatility in his game that intrigued Sam Presti and company enough to take him in the first round of last June's NBA Draft and has shown some serious progress both as a ball handler and defender.
Unfortunately for him, however, OKC's April 13 season finale against the New Orleans Pelicans very well could prove to be the final time during his inaugural season where he'll have an opportunity to see extended run on the hardwood.
Ajay Mitchell
Before going down with turf toe back in early January, Ajay Mitchell was establishing himself as not just one of the better role players on the Thunder but one of the best first-year players in the entire league.
Through 34 games played, the rookie was averaging 6.4 points and 2.0 rebounds on a highly efficient 50.6 percent shooting from the floor in 16.5 minutes per night.
Even after being sidelined for nearly three months now, among his rookie peers who have played a minimum of 30 games this year, he still finds himself ranked first in defensive rating (100.0), net rating (9.1), and three-point percentage (43.1).
While it's well known just how impressive and impactful of a player Mitchell is, during the time that he's been sidelined, other members of OKC's roster, such as Aaron Mitchell and Isaiah Joe, have stepped up to fill a similar role to the one he served in before injury.
Still inactive and with no clear date to return, there are currently some major question marks concerning when Ajay Mitchell will make his way back to the rotation and in what capacity.