Three Different Starting Lineups Oklahoma City Could Use

Oklahoma Metropolis’s lineups will nonetheless doubtless change typically over the course of the upcoming season, however taking part in time might be distributed extra deliberately.

The Thunder have needed to throw out some head scratching lineups in the direction of the top of the season to safe a draft choose and compensate for the numerous accidents on the roster. Final 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 house for two-way contracts to get on the ground. As a substitute 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 of the added expertise leaves room for Mark Daigneault to tinker with distinctive rotations, together with the beginning lineup. Listed below are the totally different beginning lineup choices for Oklahoma Metropolis this season:

The Apparent

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

Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey and Dort look like the three apparent choices in any beginning lineup, particularly firstly of the yr. Pairing the three guards with Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Darius Bazley gives versatility and athleticism all through the lineup. These 5 have performed a superb quantity of basketball collectively up to now yr, too, which might assist with chemistry functions.

Small Ball

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

Each wings are extremely environment friendly gamers, and shooters, and the Thunder may benefit from inserting certainly one of them into the beginning lineup. It might solely work towards sure groups, however Oklahoma Metropolis may change Dort or Williams onto sure stretch-fours in at this time’s NBA. Transferring 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 Motion

Now if Mark Daigneault is feeling frisky. This may very well be probably the most enjoyable lineup Oklahoma Metropolis may roll out onto the ground, and it is also probably the most inefficient. If Dort isn’t able to go by the season’s begin with final yr’s shoulder damage, or the staff simply needs to modify it up sometimes, he may nonetheless play starter minutes from the bench.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey may 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 heart on this state of affairs, however since we’re on on the youth practice, why not Jaylin Williams? He’s certainly one of Oklahoma Metropolis’s solely true facilities on the lineup and embodies Thunder tradition.

Daigneault may have loads of choices, and this season might be essential for creating chemistry.

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