Five Storylines That Will Define OKC Thunder Season

The Oklahoma City Thunder are poised to be NBA contenders, what storylines will define their season in 2024-25?

Oct 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) gestures after scoring a basket against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

As the 2024-25 NBA season draws near, the Oklahoma City Thunder are poised to be contenders in every sense of the word. Already coming off a season where they rattled off 57 wins and finished top five in both offense and defense, the OKC Thunder bolstered their roster in a big way this summer picking up defensive ace Alex Caruso and a much needed versitale piece in their front court via Isaiah Hartenstein.

For the Thunder to reach the lofty goals placed at their feet - from owning the second best odds at an NBA Title to the top odds to make it out of the West - there are five storylines that will define their season.

Apr 29, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) passes the ball to forward Chet Holmgren (7) against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

1) Are the Youngsters Ready?

We can - and will! - spend all season discussing the Thunder's vaunted depth and throw parades for every efficent 30 point game Shai Gilgeous-Alexander produces which will happen nightly. However, at the end of the day the most important question is can second year and third year rising stars Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams rise to the occassion in the postseason of being Oklahoma City's second and third best players?

Sure, that is a ton of pressure on the two 2022 lottery picks, but pressure they not only can handle but comes with the business. This is a star driven league and with Gilgeous-Alexander looking like a leading man on a title team, he needs his co stars to dominate in the biggest moments alongside of him.

While the depth and top tier coach is a massive luxury, it is not enough to reach the team's end goals without an offensive leap from these two. The fact they came up short in thier first postseason run is not an inditment on their ability to deliever eventually - however, neither would shortcomings in year two. Look around the NBA at how many bonafide stars, some of whom have already collected rings, "weren't ready" this early in their careers.

The Thunder are once again hoping for an anomaly and early returns say it is a good bet but Oklahoma City will go as far as these youngsters are ready to take them.

Alex Caruso is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2) Is the defense as good or better than advertised?

Defense wins championships, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are set to have the league's best defense. A year ago, they lagged behind only the Minnesota Timberwolves in that department before adding a legitimate rim protector to their second unit and one of the best defenders in the sport in Hartenstein and Caruso.

To couple with the first storyline if the Thunder are as good or somehow better than projected on this end of the floor, they could parlay that into much needed buckets to take the pressure off their youngsters.

In just one game as a unit last Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, the Thunder were all over the passing lanes getting steals, deflictiions and bogging down possessions. Oklahoma City can get out and run with fastbreak points aliviating any half court woes that could pop up when leaning on a pair of second and third year players to spearhead the charge.

Oct 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) gestures after a play against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

3) Utilizing Isaiah Hartenstein

No matter what Mark Daigneault elects to do, the addition of Hartenstein is good enough. Oklahoma City can't go wrong deploying him at any time as the early returns of a double-big lineup through two halves of basketball seem to be great.

Though, the Thunder's identity to this point has been going small and running teams off the floor - even with the size of Holmgren on the floor as the lone big gives a similar effect given his versatile nature.

While Hartenstein by no means is moving at a snails pace, the advantages created from a single or even no big lineups doesn't seem like something Oklahoma City will simply abandoned.

Figuring out how to mesh the biggest free agent signing in club history and getting on the same page sooner rather than later is important. The early returns through two games though puts the considers of an early season blunder due to chemistry on the back burner.

May 13, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder in game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

4) Upping the 3-Point Volume

Mark Daigneault has harped on the Thunder's need to up their 3-point volume during the 2024-25 season and for good reason. Oklahoma City was the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA a year ago by percentage (38 percent) but sat just 16th in attempts per contest.

To sacrifice some of that efficiency for the sake of more volume which nets more points would be a great thing for Oklahoma City as their bench boss targets Aaron Wiggins and Jalen Williams in this category specifically.

Wiggins turned in a jaw-dropping 49 percent from beyond the arc a year ago on just 1.6 attempts per game while Williams posted 42 percent from distance on 3.4 heaves a game.

If the Thunder are able to walk the tight rope of remaining one of the league's top teams from distance just on more shots then Oklahoma City's offense can reach historic clips.

Oct 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talks to guard Ajay Mitchell (25) during a break in play in the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

5) Someone Stepping Up as a Table Setter

In the postseason, while the back up five spot earned all the addition, the Thunder also came up short in the table setting departement to get Williams and Holmgren easy shots or in more advantageous positions with Gilgeous-Alexander off the floor. That is the lone question from a year ago without an immedate answer heading into the 2024-25 season.

Though, Oklahoma City isn't without options. Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, a leap from Jalen Williams and even rookie Ajay Mitchell could fit the bill.

Caruso has served as a staggered or out right backup point guard in his past, Wallace played the position until arriving in the NBA and Hartenstein is the definition of a playmaking hub in the high post which can set things up for his teammates.

Sure, the Santa Clara product can take this role as well as he handled it with high ratings last preseason but come crunch time being able to play off of someone would be huge.

While Mitchell feels like a stretch, the Thunder have been willing to play two-way players before and lean on youth if they show they deserve it. His comfortability and decision-making is off the charts for a rookie and Oklahoma City only needs the equivalent of a game managing quarterback in this slot to be successful - think Trent Dilfer.

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