OKC Thunder Will Have to Keep the ‘Rhythm Moving’ Without Josh Giddey

The Thunder will look to avoid turning into an isolation basketball team.

May 13, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) 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

Oklahoma City’s offseason was a massive win no matter which way you approach it. The team solidified its frontcourt depth and traded for the perfect Josh Giddey replacement on paper.

Giddey’s fit was obviously wonky and it was evident during the playoffs. The Thunder struggled to acclimate him into the lineup all season long, but it became glaring in the postseason.

No matter how much he struggled, though, Giddey clearly brought something to the floor. He was a key player during his first two seasons in Oklahoma City, and he’s someone that certainly still has loads of potential. In his preseason press conference, Sam Presti mentioned the Thunder’s biggest needs without Giddey in the lineup.

“I think one of the things that Josh did for us was, especially early in games and early in halves, would keep our rhythm moving,” Presti said. “That's certainly something we're capable of doing and we will do, but it will take intentionality and it will take consistency to do it.

“But I think the real value of being a good passing team is it's the creation of time, and the better the player is, the less time they need.”

Oklahoma City has a handful of fantastic isolation players, but Mark Daigneault wants to stray away from strictly running isolation basketball. The best part of the Thunder’s offense is the full team effort and the ball movement.

As Presti mentioned, the first month or so will be a learning experience. Oklahoma City had elite chemistry and cohesion a season ago, and adding new pieces to the puzzle could throw things off a bit. The important thing, though, is it’ll certainly pay off in the long run. The Thunder’s ceiling is much higher, even if the team goes through some growing pains.

“Most players, especially in the NBA, are so good, they don't need a lot of time compared to most people, but every fraction of a second matters to be able to process and make the next decision,” Presti said. “That's why when I talk about playing with the pass, it's really about creating more time within the possession to make quality decisions and to stay in rhythm so people can anticipate and play at their best.

“That's like this holy grail I was talking about. You don't just press a button and get there. But that's something we'll have to continue to pursue.”

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