Inside The Thunder

Takeaways From the OKC Thunder's First Summer League Contest

The Thunder played their first game in the Utah Summer League on Monday night, taking down the Jazz 95-85.

Randall Sweet

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After almost three months off, the Oklahoma City Thunder took the court for the first time since April on Monday night. 

The team may not have been filled with the stars OKC fans have come to love, like Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but the Thunder's 2023 Summer League team still put on a show in their debut. While it is never a good idea to put too much stock into Summer League performances, there are multiple takeaways for fans to be optimistic about following Monday night's victory. 

Thunder will be solid on defense again

After finishing 14th in the NBA in defensive rating for the 2022-23 season, Oklahoma City looks poised to be a stout defensive squad once again in 2023-24. 

While it is difficult to make large generalizations about the regular season based on one Summer League game, the team's effort on Monday night illustrates that Mark Daigneault will have his team ready to lock opponents down this season. 

Even in the summer, regular starters from a season ago were diving on the floor for loose balls, jumping passing lanes and making great rotations. As evidence of their astute defensive performance against the Jazz, only two Utah players shot over 50% from the field.

Aside from Nick Ongenda, who went 2-for-4, and Taevion Kinsey, who went 2-for-2, the Jazz shot 30-of-83 (36.14%) from the field on Monday night. 

Adding Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace to a team that already played with great effort and intensity on defense will only fortify OKC on that end of the court in 2023-24.

Holmgren is a game-changer for OKC

After a remarkable Summer League debut last year, former No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren was productive in his highly-anticipated return to action. 

Following last year's event, Holmgren suffered an injury at a Pro-Am game that sidelined the 7-foot-1 shot blocker for the entirety of what was supposed to be his rookie season. Now almost a year removed from the injury, fans were excited to see Holmgren back on the court. 

While the Thunder big man struggled in the opening frame, he began to heat up in the second quarter, picking up where he left off last summer. Holmgren was able to get his defender to bite on a pump fake at the three point line, easily driving by his man for a basket multiple times. 

This adds a new element to the OKC offense, which didn't have a big man who could consistently attack off the catch and knock down shots from beyond the arc.

Holmgren also put his footwork on display, utilizing a nice up-and-under to get to the rim for a score. Holmgren finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and two assists.

While his offensive performance was impressive, Holmgren played even better on defense. The 21-year-old blocked four shots, knocking away two attempts each from 2022 lottery pick Ochai Agbaji and 2023 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Keyonte George. 

Even when he wasn't swatting a shot away, Holmgren was able to alter a number of attempts. Additionally, the big man filled his rotations perfectly, fitting in seamlessly with the rest of Oklahoma City's defense.

Maldonado flashes

Undrafted free agent rookie Hunter Maldonado made a few nice plays for the Thunder on Monday night. The Wyoming product still has a long way to go to secure a home in the NBA, but could potentially earn a spot with the OKC Blue if he continues to produce in the Summer League. 

Of the six undrafted free agents that Oklahoma City brought to Utah, Maldonado was the only one to see the floor against the Jazz. The 6-foot-7 guard made the most of his opportunity, going 2-for-3 from the floor en route to six points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal in just under 13 minutes of action. 

On one play, Maldonado received an outlet pass while streaking down the court, finishing an acrobatic "and-one" layup in transition.

Maldonado's size and versatility make him an intriguing prospect for the Thunder and General Manager Sam Presti, who seemingly values both traits. If the undrafted rookie can continue to showcase his various skills, he could earn the chance to play in the G League this season.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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