It's already understood that the biggest superpower this OKC Thunder team possesses is its ability to consistently shake up the depth chart on a game-to-game basis without skipping a beat.
Friday night, after downing the Sacramento Kings 132-101 with their sixth different starting lineup in 10 games played this year, superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spoke out about how, exactly, they've been able to excel when it comes to this constant rotational turnover.
"Across the roster, we have guys that are ready to play. They're versatile, can play any position and play to our identity, and that's why it almost feels seamless when guys are out because we can just go out there and play the same way," Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Thunder have the personnel to seamlessly plug-and-play their rotation
Last season, the Thunder proved their ability to weather any storm that came their way, particularly when it impacted the construction of their game-day roster.
As a result of their widespread injury woes, Oklahoma City rolled out a whopping 30 different starting lineups in 2024-25. In the end, this regular reshuffling saw the ball club not only record the fourth-most wins in a single season with 68, but also beeline it to its first NBA Championship.
During these early stages of 2025-26, it seems as if the Thunder are once again putting their unmatched ability to mix and match their on-court orientation on full display.
So far, they have played five games without the likes of Isaiah Joe, four games without Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso, three games without Lu Dort, and, most notably, all games without their All-NBA forward, Jalen Williams, in tow.
Yet, despite their bevy of absences over these first few weeks of action, OKC still finds itself atop the Western Conference standings and boasting the best record in the entire league at 9-1.
The reason, as NBA legend Lou Williams recently articulated, is their elite ability to plug-and-play players from one all the way down to 15 on their depth chart, noting that "everybody they plug in can play."
While Gilgeous-Alexander will always find himself leading the charge with his stand-out efforts (wrapped up the rout against Sacramento with 30 points on 60.0 percent shooting), depending on the night, it seems as if anyone can fall in line right behind him as his number two.
Sometimes it will be Ajay Mitchell. More often than not, it's Chet Holmgren.
However, against the Kings, it was Isaiah Hartenstein, who finished with a career-best 33 points to go along with 19 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three blocks.
Up and down this Thunder roster are talents who, if given the opportunity, can take over a game and make an opposing team pay.
To Gilgeous-Alexander, this luxury certainly doesn't go unnoticed.