3 Storylines to Watch in OKC Thunder Preseason Opener

The Oklahoma City Thunder have plenty of storylines to follow along with in their preseason slate ranging from starters to the last man on the roster. Here are three things to watch against the San Antonio Spurs.

Sep 30, 2024; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein poses for a photo during Oklahoma City Thunder Media Day at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder will begin their preseason slate on Monday against the San Antonio Spurs in what is one of the most exciting and anticipated seasons in Thunder history - one filled with hall of famers and championship aspirations.

As exhibition play opens up, here are three storylines to follow ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Isaiah Hartenstein is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

1) Isaiah Hartenstein

The debut of Hartenstein in Bricktown will be must-watch TV for multiple reasons. If he at all share the floor with Chet Holmgren, it will give the Thunder are a look at a pairing never seen before - with all due respect to the two percent of minutes Holmgren played with Jaylin Williams, the Arkansas product is not exactly a seven-foot rim protecting big man.

Though, past the element of dualing bigs that excites Oklahoma City observers, seeing him make life easier on Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe and other Thunder scorers reveals the deeper value in this move.

Despite Lu Dort and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being on the shelf for the preseason opener as they rest to manage a grueling three-game in four-night stretch to begin exhibition play, this game will still give enough of a peak at Hartenstein to envision how he is best used with Oklahoma City.

On top of these storylines, the biggest will be his shot diet. How often - if at all - will the big man step beyond the arc and launch triples?

Ousmane Dieng is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2) Ousmane Dieng

The third year lottery pick has yet to find his footing at the NBA level. While he made a massive leap in the G League a year ago, the team has accelerated well past their projections at the time of the pick.

Regardless of how will Dieng has looked in the G League, it has never translated to the varsity level to this point of his career. However, he has still progressed at the rate the organization expected him to but is a victim of the success around him.

It is difficult to have a conversation around Dieng as few have a rational opinion on the forward. On one hand, they heap praise on rising stars Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams getting up to speed at a breakneck pace and how rare it is while kicking Dieng to the curb for not developing at that anomaly pace.

The bottom line is, Dieng will be given another shot to prove his worth at the NBA level this season, likely early in the regular season. If he can translate his G League aggressiveness off the ball and defensive upside, the discourse around the lottery pick will quickly change.

However, if this season begins in the way Elvis' 21st through 30th movies did where you can right the review as simple as "Typical Elvis vehicle" for Dieng, the writing wil be on the wall for his future.

With Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams on the sideline due to injury, there will be plenty of minutes for the former lottery pick to prove himself.

From left, Ajay Mitchell, Dillon Jones and Nikola Topic stand with Thunder general manager Sam Presti 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

3) The Rookies

The first-year players are always under a microscope in preseason, everyone's first impression of the draftees on an NBA floor - excluding summer league - and this game will be no different as the Thunder will be without five players, six if you count the empty roster spot. Clearly, Ajay Mitchell and Dillon Jones will be given plenty of runs in the preseason opener.

Jones, the No. 26 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft is the more interesting of the two simply due to the mystery around him. The Weber State product has not even nailed down what position he plays at this level, seeing Daigneault shuffle him around the floor will be worth keeping an eye on.

For Ajay Mitchell, his fit has less question marks. He is tailor-made for this system, a drive-and-kick guard who is electric as a play maker and consistently makes the right reads. As everyone lathers up in Thunder propaganda and praise, a few questions remain about this roster namely: Who is the back up point guard?

Mitchell will be given a shot to be the secondary table setter which alluded them a year ago. The Thunder are no strangers to given youngsters chances early on and Mitchell should be no different.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.