Stiles Points: Who Is the Best Offseason Addition by the OKC Thunder?

who was the biggest offseason addition for Oklahoma City?

Apr 14, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives past Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (6) in the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

After a flurry of offseason moves, the Oklahoma City Thunder are widely viewed as contenders around the association. Every talking head, the Vegas odds and logic just points to the OKC Thunder being the team to make it out of the Western Conference and go toe to toe with the Boston Celtics. 

A year ago, Oklahoma City made their second straight 15 plus win improvement during the regular season en route to 57 wins fresh off a 40-42 campaign. 

This led Oklahoma City to win their first playoff series since 2016 and earning their second sweep in team history. As their season ended in the American Airlines Center in Dallas, falling to Mavericks in 6 games, Sam Presti immediately got to work.  

The team’s top executive was able to trade for Alex Caruso in a straight up swap of the misfitting Josh Giddey for the defensive ace. Just weeks later, and a trip to Oregon, the Thunder inked their largest free agent ever signing Isaiah Hartenstein to a massive three year pact. 

Both these moves catapulted the Thunder to a new tier of the undisputed popular pick for the West, but which addition will mean more for Oklahoma City? 

Caruso’s fit with the Thunder could not be more perfect. Shooting, playmaking, versatility, defense he checks all the boxes Oklahoma City looks for while being extremely comfortable playing away from the ball and a reduced role making life easier on Thunder’s stars. 

However, while being an overwhelming positive addition, Caruso has to rank as the second best addition to Oklahoma City. While no one could play as effective as Caruso on the current roster, Mark Daigneault could’ve patched worked a rotation with Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins to recreate the boost Caruso will give in some way. Obviously, the former NBA Champion will serve as one of OKC’s best players but the ability to duplicate at least a percentage of his production pushed him slightly below Hartenstein in the most valuable category. 

Oklahoma City can now enjoy 48 minutes of true rim protection, something no matter how the team’s bench boss fiddled with the rotation couldn’t have been done without this signing. That’s before mentioning how he makes life easier on the Thunder stars as a screener and playmaker. 

There isn’t a wide gap between the two and they’re both stellar additions but Oklahoma City couldn’t come close to matching Hartenstein’s role with what was currently on roster making him the better addition. 

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