Thunder Forced Into IMPOSSIBLE Decision…
The Oklahoma City Thunder have gotten an incredible start to the season from Ajay Mitchell, and other role players such as Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace. Ryan Breeden breaks down how this could be an issue for OKC when Jalen Williams, Isaiah Joe, Alex Caruso and Kenrich Williams return. Oklahoma City beat the Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, to start the season, and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going off, but what does the rotation look like around him? Ryan breaks down potential Thunder trade rumors and news and the Oklahoma City Thunder accumulation of talent.
Thunder Digest covers the latest reports, news and rumors regarding the Oklahoma City Thunder. If you want to stay updated with every trade, move and tidbit on players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Mark Daigneault and Sam Presti.
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27 Comments
That's why they nick name Jay Will Smiley
such a good problem to have. i think presti is more inclined to let the old fellas like caruso and hart go before the young guys, barnhizer is being moulded into a caruso type build and sorber is most definitely going to replace hart granted he lives up to his potential
Dieng??
Depth is a good problem to have
Topic will only get minutes in blowouts he has no defense 😂 I've said it all off-season Mitchell is the guy better than even Wallace. We are very blessed. ❤
If we wanted to trade anyone it should be Topic and Dieng for a 1st round pick. We already have two guys on two way contracts we can then sign in Barhizer, Youngblood, or Carlson. 🎉
Yeah like in minutes Shai isn’t on the floor, if dub is struggling with the bench getting space or just playmaking. You can have them both on the floor. If Shai is on and dub is resting you can add him on the floor, now Shai gets relief in scoring and ball handling responsibilities. If ever resting both you still got a ball handler. Still haven’t even seen Topic. Imagine getting both those ball handling options off your bench. Season is long and we aren’t blowing out teams like last year due to so many injuries, when everyone’s back we can rotate more, west is so deep and we aren’t going to risk any players or tire them out cause we seen how important being health come may/June is. Did us wonders last season besides with Chet not getting his legs fully back, but even Ajay missed so much time with turf toe and was out of rhythm.
We have the most wonderful problems to exist. We have too much talent and I love this squad Ajay Mitchell is still basically half way through rookie season in nba fame experience.
Things that we do eventually to get talent is trade dieng for a first round pick, either ihart or lu contracts sign for cheap or sign and trade with another team to get more assets and then plug either sober in iharts role, and with lu we have Wallace as his apprentice who replaces his role and still got Caruso on bench plus Ajay Mitchell offence to make up for what you lose. Behind him. Using this to create a trade exceptions cause currently OKC are not in the luxury tax this season.
Lu’s contract is 18 mill and ihart is 28.5 whoever goes is gonna get a rise, so then OKC gets relief as well as an exception to continue to stay under while getting future or cheaper assets, and creating an exception. Whilst already having someone there to replace and fill that role.
Next year currently at 36 mill under firs apron projection, with both those team options, as well as kenrich Williams who’s most likely to leave who’s on 7 million and will be 33 then. That 2026/27 will be crucial cause that’s first year of Chet and j dubs max contracts and the last season before a lot of them team options are required to be picked up by. So they need to get that flexibility asap especially cause shai’s first year of super max
This year is the year we run it back. Next year will be a different story and we see guys shift
Isn't Hartenstein locked down for 3 or 4 yrs
I can definitely see a trade package with Joe/Wiggins + Dieng/Topic coming sometime to get an more accurate shooter. AJ Green would do wonders for the spacing on this roster. Either way, I trust Presti
getting consistant decent play from ihart is more important to winning than the contributions from 7 or 8 of the bench players. i wish there was a way to keep ihart. maybe the big three could all take a 5m pay cut so he could get his. or maybe winning consecutive rings will pay off in big product endorsement deals. some teams are more physical and would control the paint without iheart imo. i remember being put out of the playoffs by dallas the year before he came to the thunder. smart team minded physical big guys who are unselfish roll players are hard to come by.
just let them play until playofss, no need to kill the golden goose, next season is the time for adjustments due to contracts extentions
When aj was healthy he played before Cason
It's such a problem 😅 Ajay can back up Shai, Wiggs can back up JDub,JWill can back up IHart, Carlson can back up Chet, Youngblood can back up Joe, Caruso can back up Lu, Barnhizer can back up Cason, Dieng can be traded.
oh no we have too many good players lol man we gonna be able to have 2 elite ball handlers on the court at all times
Ajay is offense Cason is defense. THUNDER FANS! DECIDE WHO STAYS.
They are 5-0 they don’t seem to have problems
What a GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE!
It’s called “third man.” Presti and Mark will figure it out.
I thought I hart was on a 3 year deal
This is why I never understood the Topic hype. He has to prove that he can play above Ajay, Joe and Caso first.
J Will is the most amazing bench player in the NBA imo. Always smiling, cheering his team on, happy with playing or not. Dude is amazing
When Topic comes back it’ll be an even bigger issue lol.
Don’t remind me about iHart next year 😭
AJ Mitchell is part of the future with the Thunder. And he definitely should start moving forward.
Trade Dort, Carlson, and picks to Utah for Laurie M….win 3 more rings
Too many good players. Terrible. What are they gonna do?