Inside The Thunder

Thunder Lead the Way in Impact Players

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the most impact players on their roster according to Synergy.

Rylan Stiles

Apr 24, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) gestures after a play against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter of game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Apr 24, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) gestures after a play against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter of game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are tasked with high expectations this season. Gone are the days of being the spunky up and coming squad, despite their youth on the roster everyone is tabbing the Thunder as contenders.

Anything shy of a Western Conference Finals appearance is going to be viewed as a disappointment and even that mark might not satisfy every observer. However, that is the price of loading up a truly elite roster with an embarrassment of riches and a team still on the rise with young talent developing each season.

The Thunder won 57 games a year ago, nabbing the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and winning their first playoff series since 2016. This summer, all Oklahoma City did was bolster that roster adding Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso while only losing Josh Giddey as far as relevant impact players go.

While this has led many pundits - and even Vegas - to tab the Thunder as the top team out West, the advanced stats back it up. According to Synergy's player impact stat, Oklahoma City has the most players that fall into the plus category in the NBA.

Hartenstein and Caruso join an already impressive group of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams and Chet Holmgren

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Rylan Stiles

RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. 

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