Projecting the OKC Thunder Usage Breakdown for 2024-25 Season

Oklahoma City has a clear usage hierarchy even with their new additions.

Oct 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talks to center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the first quarter against Houston at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Thunder won 57 games last season because they were efficient on both ends of the floor and prioritized the most important factors for consistent winning. Reaching that level of success is much easier said than done, as great teams must possess widespread talent with a collective mentality.

Thunder offseason acquisition Alex Caruso summed up this importance in a 2020 interview on The Old Man and The Three podcast.

"That's a big reason guys get stuck in the G-League, is that they don't understand the position they're trying out for," Caruso said. "It's like going to a job interview and you're thinking you're gonna be the CFO of the company and they're looking for a guy to clean the bathrooms."

Usage rate is defined as the percentage of team possessions a player ends while they are on the floor, meaning their field goal attempts, turnovers and trips to the free-throw line. This can be slightly misleading for primary playmakers — James Harden averaged 8.3 more assists per 100 possessions than Chet Holmgren last season, in addition to 1.1 more turnovers per 100 and 1.4 more free-throw attempts per 100. Holmgren, however, had a higher usage rate because he took 2.6 more field-goal attempts per 100.

Although Oklahoma City had an average roster age of 23.2 last season, which typically indicates a rebuilding team rather than a No. 1 seed, they had a firm usage hierarchy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the first scoring option and will be for the foreseeable future. Jalen Williams and Holmgren took the reins as efficient secondary players, with Williams running the show whenever Gilgeous-Alexander was not on the court. Josh Giddey frequently had the ball in his hands, a consistent theme with his previous two seasons. Everyone else functioned as role players.

The Thunder roster entering this season contains 12 players who have previously played in the NBA, including 10 with multiple professional campaigns.

Player	2023-24 USG%	2022-23 USG%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	32.8	32.8
Jalen Williams	23.7	18.4
Chet Holmgren	21.6	N/A
Ousmane Dieng	16.9	15.9
Isaiah Joe	16.6	17.7
Aaron Wiggins	16.4	14.5
Luguentz Dort	15.4	19.8
Alex Caruso	14.7	11.1
Jaylin Williams	13.5	13.5
Kenrich Williams	13.4	13.7
Cason Wallace	12.9	N/A
Isaiah Hartenstein	12.0	11.2

Gilgeous-Alexander's usage rate should remain above 30% next season, although he will likely average more assists due to Giddey's absence and the better roster quality.

Jalen Williams had the biggest internal jump by far, increasing his usage over 5% from his rookie season. This coincided with a 4.4% usage decrease for Luguentz Dort, who deserves credit for his improved shot selectivity after being a second option during the 2020-22 rebuilding years. Dort recorded the highest 2-point percentage and highest 3-point percentage of his career last season.

Isaiah Hartenstein and Caruso had limited usage on their previous teams because they do not necessarily look to score. Hartenstein sets screens and makes plays for teammates as a top-of-the-key hub — he has already found cutters and shooters galore in preseason action. Caruso makes instinctive reads off the ball, cutting into open space and moving around on the perimeter to gain open looks. Their roles will not drastically change during the regular season.

Holmgren, Williams and Cason Wallace are the likeliest Thunder candidates to make usage jumps. Holmgren was an efficient play-finisher, pick-and-popper, slipper and cutter as a rookie, so more scoring opportunities are inevitable due to his gained experience and prowess. Williams will handle the ball more without Giddey and has been encouraged by head coach Mark Daigneault to shoot more 3-pointers. Wallace, another 2023-24 rookie, was limited to off-ball scoring last season because of the team's hierarchy, but he has looked more proficient driving to the rim to kick off the preseason.

Overall, Oklahoma City will not experience significant individual usage change from last season because they have built a rewarding system for everyone involved.

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