Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Wise for Keeping Open Roster Spot Heading

The Oklahoma City Thunder still have an open roster spot with no signs of filling it, which could be a smart idea given the team doesn't have a weakness yet.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti speaks during an introductory press conference for the 2024 Thunder draft picks at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, June, 29, 2024. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

It is nearly impossible to be perfect in anything in life, especially when you have to navigate an 82-game season just to reach the pressurized postseason. Every year there are massive surprises in both a positive and negative direction.

However, there are also teams that play out a year exactly as expected - which is what the Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to do. Projected by nearly everyone - including Vegas - to win the Western Conference, they boost a near-perfect roster on paper.

With the additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein this summer at the cost of swapping out a misfitted Josh Giddey and only missing Gordon Hayward, Lindy Waters III, Keyontae Johnson, Mike Muscala, Bismack Biyombo, and Olivier Sarr from last year's 57-win team, it is safe to project the Thunder as one of the league's best.

Already owning a top-five offense and defense, the Thunder have fixed their biggest weakness from a season ago which was their front court depth placing Hartenstein in the rotation. Along with that, putting a defensive ace who can slide 1-4 and shoot 40 percent from beyond the arc in Giddey's place makes life easier on Oklahoma City's stars.

This is on top of MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, defensive ace Lu Dort, sharpshooter Isaiah Joe, jack of all trades Aaron Wiggins, Benjamin Button Cason Wallace who plays wise beyond his years and an interesting rookie class.

Still, Oklahoma City owns an open roster spot as the NBA offseason is winding down - with Nikola Topic sidelined due to an ACL injury, this marks two minute-less roster spots entering the season. However, this is a smart strategy by the Thunder who have previously kept flexibility entering contending seasons.

It is hard to find a hole on the 2024-25 roster heading into the season whereas last season's flaws were evident from the jump despite their regular season success. So, keeping a roster spot in hand can work in the long run for Sam Presti, as he routinely did during the Russell Westbrook era.

Without an evident flaw, it is better to take in as much data as possible before leaping to fill this spot. An open roster spot is valuable on the trade market due to it making it easier to pull off a multiple players for one swap, or in the buyout market to add a player for practically nothing when you have a better scope of what the squad looks like.

There is truly no risk in waiting and all the reward. If the Thunder rushed out to ink one of the top free agents leftover, the odds are they would not play, similar to the signings of Muscala and Biyombo or the conversion of Waters III's pact - on the roster in name only as the bulk of the minutes would still be taken up by players already in house.

Stiles Points:

• Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort powered Team Canada to the knockout stage of the Olympics where their quarterfinal game will be against Victor Wembanyama and Team France.
• The Canadian duo has provided a massive boost to their home country since the starting lineup change entering the group stage.
• OKC Thunder fans may need to get used to a new way to watch the franchise this season as Bally Sports might be cutting ties with the club.
• Perhaps a position change for Jaylin Williams could carve out a better role for the Arkansas product in the 2024-25 season.
• Team Canada is entering the next round confident even if they match up with Team USA in a potential Gold Medal game.

Song of the Day: Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass by Buck Owens

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