Three Different Starting Lineups Oklahoma City Could Use

Oklahoma City’s lineups will nonetheless seemingly change usually over the course of the upcoming season, however enjoying time can be distributed extra deliberately.

The Thunder have needed to throw out some head scratching lineups in direction of the top of the season to safe a draft choose and compensate for the numerous accidents on the roster. Last season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Lu Dort all went down earlier than the season’s finish with accidents.

With added expertise and youth coming in, although, it’ll be a lot tougher for the Thunder to search out area for two-way contracts to get on the ground. Instead of gamers competing for an NBA roster spot close to the top of the bench, the Thunder may very well be giving lottery picks some run now.

All the added expertise leaves room for Mark Daigneault to tinker with distinctive rotations, together with the beginning lineup. Here are the completely different beginning lineup choices for Oklahoma City this season:

The Obvious

Now that Chet Holmgren is out of the query, Oklahoma City could have the choice to roll out final season’s beginning 5.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey and Dort seem to be the three apparent choices in any beginning lineup, particularly originally of the 12 months. Pairing the three guards with Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Darius Bazley supplies versatility and athleticism all through the lineup. Those 5 have performed a great quantity of basketball collectively previously 12 months, too, which might assist with chemistry functions.

Small Ball

Oklahoma City paid Kenrich Williams and watched Aaron Wiggins star on the Summer League court docket this offseason.

Both wings are extremely environment friendly gamers, and shooters, and the Thunder may gain advantage from inserting one among them into the beginning lineup. It could solely work towards sure groups, however Oklahoma City might change Dort or Williams onto sure stretch-fours in right now’s NBA. Moving both Bazley or JRE to the bench in favor of Williams, Wiggins, and even rookie Jalen Williams down the road, could be an fascinating play.

Youth Movement

Now if Mark Daigneault is feeling frisky. This may very well be probably the most enjoyable lineup Oklahoma City might roll out onto the ground, and it may be probably the most inefficient. If Dort isn’t able to go by the season’s begin with final 12 months’s shoulder harm, or the group simply needs to change it up often, he might nonetheless play starter minutes from the bench.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey might nonetheless man the again court docket, whereas sliding OKC’s different two lottery picks, Williams and Ousmane Dieng, in on the three and 4 spots. The Thunder have choices at middle on this situation, however since we’re on on the youth practice, why not Jaylin Williams? He’s one among Oklahoma City’s solely true facilities on the lineup and embodies Thunder tradition.

Daigneault could have loads of choices, and this season can be essential for creating chemistry.

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