Stiles Points: Lindy Waters III's Recent Stretch Follows OKC Thunder Motto

Lindy Waters III has helped a short-handed Thunder team in a living example of the team's motto.

Nov 14, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Lindy Waters III (12) / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

If you hang around Mark Daigneault it will not take long to hear him talk about the importance of staying ready for when the opportunity swings back to you. This has been a calling card of the Oklahoma City Thunder organization since Daigneault took over the gig.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen a massive bump in the road this week suffering injuries to their star duo leading to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (quad) and Jalen Williams (ankle) missing an entire week of action.

As a result, the OKC Thunder went on their first three-game losing streak of the season and searched for answers in Daigneault's shorthanded rotation. On Sunday, as the Thunder ended their road trip slide, Lindy Waters III lived up to the organization's motto.

Waters III has played at every level of the Oklahoma circuit playing high school (Norman North), college (Oklahoma State), semi-professional (Enid Outlaws), G-League (OKC Blue) and NBA (OKC Thunder) basketball in the state.

For the third straight season, the hometown kid found himself on a two-way pact looking to earn an NBA chance. Each of the past two years, his contract had been converted until the end of the regular season to start the process over again.

This season was not different in that department after the trade deadline freed up roster spots, the OKC Thunder once again converted Waters III to a standard NBA agreement despite his minutes and games played being slashed. It showed what has been obvious on the court: The organization trusts him.

Despite parking him in the G League for the vast majority of this season to grind away with the Oklahoma City Blue, Daigneault and company know they can rely on him to provide a punch in a pinch.

Waters III has an understanding of the system and impressive activity defensively that makes him a solid end of bench guy for the Bricktown boys. Never needing to depend on him, until they do.

They did Sunday, and Waters III delivered chipping in 10 points off the bench to go along with a steal while shooting 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. The Oklahoma State product was a plus-10 in his nearly 15 minutes as the Thunder pulled off a 121-118 win against the Hornets.

While his NBA future is again murky with non-guaranteed outs littered through his Multi-year contract, you can not deny he stays ready for his shot. Waters III will never rank above a 14th man on the roster, but having a swingman you trust in that role goes a long way.

Stiles Points:

• Cason Wallace continues to impress as a rookie. The Kentucky product is in line for a huge year two after showing some polish as a play-finisher the Thunder can use him in a more on-ball role after a summer of development.
• The OKC Blue are heading to the G League Finals after winning the Western Conference Finals in Stock on Sunday. The Blue will host game two of the best-of-three Finals on Thursday in the Paycom Center. The series begins in Maine on Tuesday.
• Aaron Wiggins continues to show the value he provides for the Thunder with an array of shot-making leading to a team-high 26 points and his pesky defense that swiped a jaw-dropping six steals against the Hornets on Sunday.
• Josh Giddey logged his 11th career triple-double 20 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists. This is the second straight Sunday where Giddey has notched such a feat.

Song of the Day: Watching Airplanes by Gary Allen.

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