Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ran into the same playoff problem that Cade Cunningham dealt with this postseason: A lack of secondary offense. But unlike Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons, the Oklahoma City Thunder have a clear and obvious solution: Health. They just need their guys to be healthy, and they’ll be okay.
Jalen Williams missed significant time. Ajay Mitchell was out, too. Those are probably the second- and third-best scorers on the Thunder, and OKC just had to deal with playing without either of them for long stretches. That left Jared McCain as the secondary scoring option for most of the Western Conference finals.
So, while the Pistons are out scouring the trade market for solutions, the Thunder’s is homegrown. They just have to get healthy.
SGA fell into Cade Cunningham trap, but Thunder have better solution than Pistons
Williams’ injury issues plagued the Thunder all season. By the end of the year, his hamstring just wasn’t ready. He wasn’t healthy enough. So, he couldn’t be on the court.
The same can be said for Mitchell and his calf strain. After a breakout season for the Thunder, he was ready to be a real impact player. But injuries kept him off the court.
The only upside is that the Thunder got to see the best of McCain. They saw the exact reason why they traded for him at this year’s deadline. He can be a legitimate playoff performer and a solid offensive option at times.
SGA just couldn’t do it all. There was too much to do. Too many buckets for one man to score. And as a result, OKC’s offensive woes mirrored those of Cunningham and the Pistons’.
Tobias Harris was Detroit’s version of McCain. He gave the Pistons some great offensive performances, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t consistent enough to help them get over the jump.
It was all on Cunningham’s shoulders, much like it was on SGA’s. One man wasn’t enough to take down an entire other team. But now, the two sides embark on very different pathways.
Cunningham’s Pistons need to make a move. They have to find the right trade to add extra offensive pieces that will be able to support Cunningham deep into the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Thunder just need health. They have the right pieces. Williams and Mitchell are right there. They just weren’t on the court at the right time.
The Pistons need to make trades. That’s their solution.
The Thunder just need to get healthy.
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