OKC Thunder: Cason Wallace Settling Into and Thriving in His Role
Most rookies take weeks, if not months, to get comfortable in their role, but Cason Wallace is not like most rookies.
The Oklahoma City Thunder traded up on draft night to Wallace with the No. 10 pick. While Wallace has lived up to his reputation as a defensive menace, he has been much more than that.
So far this season, Wallace has averaged 8.8 points while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from 3-point range. While he has spent much of his time on the floor alongside one of the Thunder’s primary ball handlers, Wallace has settled into the role of full-time backup point guard.
The Thunder is 5-3 through eight games, and Wallace has played an integral part in their best start since 2016-17. His past two games have displayed his impact best.
On Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wallace went for a career-high 14 points while shooting 5-of-7 and nailing a couple of 3-pointers. He also had a critical putback with 1:47 left to extend the Thunder’s lead to 11.
He also helped hold Donovan Mitchell to 8-of-23 shooting and force Darius Garland into eight turnovers. But it was Monday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, where his defensive prowess was in full effect.
Wallace harassed Trae Young throughout the night as Oklahoma City held him to 5-of-18 shooting with seven turnovers. Wallace finished with four steals, three coming at the expense of Young near the end of the third quarter.
Those games show Wallace’s impact on both ends of the floor off the bench. Once imagined as a potential replacement for Dort, Wallace has joined him to form a two-headed monster wreaking havoc on opposing backcourts.
Because of the unique nature of the Thunder’s situation, Wallace’s strengths can be utilized effectively without making him do too much. If Wallace can keep this up, his spot in the Thunder’s rotation will be secure, and a spot on an All-Rookie team may also belong to him.
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