5 Pieces Sam Presti should acquire this summer to turn Thunder into title favorites
By Tyler Watts
4. Depth
The top seven in minutes per game for the Thunder this season are all under 25 years old and still improving. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Lu Dort are locked into that group. Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe are elite shooters, but the Thunder need more talent to round out their playoff rotation.
Josh Giddey is the question mark in their starting five, and there will be plenty more on him later in this article. Gordon Hayward is eighth in minutes per game, but the veteran has struggled mightily in OKC. He becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season and is unlikely to be part of their future.
The Thunder are choosing from flawed options beyond that. They need a backup center and overall depth. Adding another wing with size would be a massive plus. It would give Oklahoma City more lineup flexibility and versatility moving forward. They may need another ball-handler too if they part with Giddey.
Sam Presti and the front office should be looking to have at least eight trusted options heading into the 2024-25 season. Having more talent is always better. It would allow OKC to change things up if necessary and make them much harder to defeat. Depth should be a focus, but size is a must.