Days ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder made their most consequential move in years, sending out longtime starter Luguentz Dort to Atlanta in exchange for three second-round picks.
Now, for the first time in two full seasons, a starting spot is up for grabs. And the team’s cache of budding young stars has been waiting for some time to take advantage.
Below, we’ll evaluate the cases for both Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell to join the starting five:
The Case for Cason Wallace
With a former All-Defense selectee in Dort now gone, the easiest conclusion to draw is that Wallace — freshly elected to an All-Defense team himself — will step into the starting five.
Wallace, drafted at No. 10 in the 2023 NBA Draft, has become a vital part of OKC’s defense, guarding on the perimeter and ranking near the top of the league in steals. It’s hard to imagine a world where head coach Mark Daigneault won’t want a stingy defender to flank Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the lineup, and Wallace started nearly 60 games last season.
Even more, Wallace was one of a few players in the Western Conference Finals to hit his threes, making him a viable plug-and-play option on offense too. Finally, there’s still offensive potential to be tapped into with his ability to handle the ball and play-make.
If one was to predict next year’s Thunder starting five, Wallace is the easiest bet.
The Case for Ajay Mitchell
Where Wallace is easily plugged in from a scheme standpoint, an incoming third-year guard in Mitchell needs just a little bit more work to get there, though he too has a case on talent alone.
If one were to simply rank OKC’s best players, you’d be hard pressed to move Mitchell lower than fourth below the star trio, given his ability to dribble, pass, shoot, score at the rim and everything in between. The only real hole in Mitchell’s game has thus far been his availability.
Schematically, Mitchell would add more pure offense than Wallace, able to relieve Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with the ability to command offense and facilitate to others. In the postseason, he was vital to keeping half-court offense alive, able to break down the first line of defense with ease.
In all likelihood, Mitchell will come off the bench in a sixth man capacity, though there’s some merit to getting him starter experience ahead of a true career breakout.
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