Saturday night, the OKC Thunder saw their record-setting and overall inspirational 2023-24 campaign come to its bitter end, as they were downed by the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals by a close-knit and controversial final score of 117-116.
Though falling short of advancing beyond round two was certainly not how the franchise and their faithful followers had hoped things would play out, considering just how young Oklahoma City's core is, assuming they keep the vast majority of the team intact moving forward one can only imagine that brighter days are assuredly ahead.
Of course, due to contract details, internal issues, and, ultimately, a handful of necessary shakeups, it's safe to say that at least a few members of this Thunder squad will be found residing outside of the 73102 come 2024-25.
Thunder players who should not return following lowly playoff showings
Who said members might be is truly anyone's guess at this point in time, though, after putting forth rather underwhelming performances this year, particularly during the playoffs, there are a few names, in specific, many should assume will not be making their way back next season.
Kenrich Williams
To be fair, Kenrich Williams never really got a true shot to show his worth during this year's playoff run, as he saw just seven games of action during Oklahoma City's two-round excursion and received over five minutes played just twice throughout.
Nevertheless, during the moments in which he did see run on the hardwood, two things were proven to be indisputable: His offensive game was virtually nonexistent and his defensive expertise out on the wing is somewhat of a redundancy on this roster.
Throughout the playoffs, Williams went on to total just four points, eight rebounds, one steal, and three fouls and made just two of his eight attempts.
Despite his proven track record both in the past and, frankly, even during this playoff run of providing highly valuable energy to the rotation, it's clear that coach Mark Daigneault would prefer to shell out minutes to guys like Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins in a role that Kenny Hustle plays, and all of whom provide far more upside on the offensive side of the ball.
Because of this, be it just or not, Williams is a player who very likely will be found on the chopping block this offseason.
Josh Giddey
Though Josh Giddey seemed to have found a way to tap into his tremendous 2022-23 form toward the end of the regular season, as he averaged 15.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 54.2 percent shooting during the final month of action, under the bright lights of the postseason the 21-year-old reverted back to his early season self which, as Thunder fans are aware, was far more of a problem than solution for the club.
Especially during their matchup against the Mavs, the point guard seemingly proved incapable of producing in a positive manner for OKC.
He would go on to post double-digit points just once in the six-game series, shot a putrid 18 percent from beyond the arc on nearly three attempts a night, and, toward the end, even went on to lose his starting role.
When at his best, Giddey is truly a mesmerizing talent -- few players measuring in at 6-foot-8 possess the ball handling skills and court vision that he does.
The only issue is, throughout this year's campaign and during the pivotal playoffs, his streakiness was found on full display which, in turn, could be seen as a concern for the franchise to hold onto in 2024-25 and beyond, especially with his contract extension looming.
Though moving on from the former sixth overall selection may not sound all that appealing on the surface, when considering his up-and-down productivity and the value he could net in return in some sort of trade, Giddey is a player to watch ahead of what could end up being a busy offseason.
Gordon Hayward
Was there ever any question over whether Gordon Hayward would land on this list or not? If there was, shame on you!
Now, granted, considering he made his way over to the Thunder mid-season and was joining a rotation that was already jelling, it shouldn't be all that shocking that the forward struggled to get adjusted to his new role -- learning a new scheme and trying to build chemistry with new players on the fly is never an easy task.
However, throughout all the struggle, fans and media pundits were frequently found banking on the idea that his experience in the association and past successes as a player would eventually shine through once things mattered most in the playoffs.
Of course, as we all now know, such a turn of events never ended up coming to fruition, and Oklahoma City is now left looking back on its decision to deal for the former All-Star instead of, say, another big man as a legitimate failure.
Things proved to be so bad for Hayward to the point where he didn't even manage to register a single point during the postseason, as he missed his two only attempts from the field, and was even removed entirely from coach Daigneault's rotation for the final three games of the club's postseason run.
If his play didn't assure people that he won't be on the roster come next season, then perhaps his exit interview comments criticizing his usage on the team and noting that his experience was "not what I thought it would be” will.