4 Thunder players who need monster second halves to save their job

No. 1: Josh Giddey

The idea of Josh Giddey is an exceptional vision, a player who can make every pass, snatch every rebound and score dynamically in transition and at the rim. Squint your eyes, and you see Luka Doncic without the lethal stepback.

The problem is that Giddey is not good enough to be Luka Doncic right now, and the Thunder have at least two players more dangerous with the ball in their hands in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. That means Giddey has to find a path to adding value while off-the-ball, and that experiment has been a colossal failure. His 3-point shot is bad enough that defenses don't guard him and his defense is so bad that teams frequently target him.

The Thunder would love for his on-ball game to continue to evolve so that he can run the second unit at a high level, but if Giddey can't also play well with the other core players it's not worth paying him what he's worth. He will be more valuable to the Thunder as part of a trade for a player who fits better with their stars.

If Giddey can improve the shot, lock in on defense and make himself undeniable in transition and as a finisher, he forces the Thunder to keep him and let him continue to grow. If he doesn't, and continues to shoot 32.5 percent from deep and let everyone and their mom drive past him, then his time in OKC could be coming to an end.

Giddey is the best example of a player on the Thunder who needs to have a monster second half to save his job. He isn't the only one, though, and all four of these players will be playing for their future.