Building Blocks: Isaiah Joe’s Shooting Upside is Key for Oklahoma City
It’s still early in the season, but the Oklahoma City Thunder may have found a new piece of their future in Isaiah Joe. He’s making an early impact on the team after being acquired just a few weeks ago.
At this point in his career, the 3-point sniper is starting to have a pretty clear ceiling. He’ll never be a star in the league, but the shooting he brings provides tremendous value.
This was evident on Saturday night as he was a key piece of the Thunder’s win over the Dallas Mavericks. He scored five points in the final minutes of regulation, including a late triple that sent the game into overtime.
In the extra frame, Joe continued his contributions as he finished the game with 15 points in just nine minutes of action. He was on fire from beyond the arc in overtime. Simply put, Oklahoma City would have lost the game without him.
This level of protection can’t be expected from Joe every night, but his shooting upside is real. The 23-year-old has the chance to be part of the rotation moving forward even beyond this season.
After being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers in training camp, Joe is looking to take advantage of his opportunity to play for a rebuilding team now.
There’s not many players on the current roster that have proven to be elite 3-point shooters. If Joe can emerge as that guy, he could be a valuable piece off the bench. His effortless stoke could result in more playing time moving forward.
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