4 Young players Thunder should develop, 1 to give up on

Develop: Cason Wallace

The tenth overall pick in the 2023 draft had a strong rookie season. He appeared in every game and showed some immediate signs as a floor spacer and defender.

Wallace averaged 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals in 20.6 minutes per game. Those numbers don’t pop off the screen, but this was a 6’4 rookie guard impacting winning. He had a 0.9 VORP and 0.115 win shares per 48 minutes in year one.

Wallace shot 41.9 percent from 3-point range over 234 attempts and proved comfortable playing off the ball. The Thunder need that with three young stars and a love for drafting players who can dribble, pass, and shoot.

The Thunder believe Wallace will take a step in year two. The 20-year-old is just getting started and has already made an impact on the best regular-season team in the Western Conference. He is years away from his peak and certainly a young talent OKC must develop.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have several crucial pieces to develop over the next five years and a plethora of draft picks stockpiled. No franchise is better positioned to contend long-term. It is all about maximizing the now and bringing a title to the 405. Young talent improving helps and is something all Thunder fans should watch closely.