Three Takeaways from the OKC Thunder's First Preseason Contest

Oklahoma City played its first game of the 2024-25 preseason on Monday night, taking down the San Antonio Spurs.

Oct 7, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault signals to players during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

On Monday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder stepped back onto an NBA court for the first time since falling to the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

While OKC may not have had its full roster in action against San Antonio, the Thunder still gave observers a good look at the new-look Oklahoma City lineup.

Even without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort on the floor, Mark Daigneault's team was able to leave the Frost Bank Center with a 112-107 win over the Spurs.

Here are three takeaways from OKC's preseason opener.

Jalen Williams shines, new additions play their role

After an impressive performance during his second season in the NBA, Williams picked up right where he left off last year on Monday night.

The third-year wing tallied 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and zero turnovers in 17 minutes of action. Williams shot 7-of-14 from the floor and 3-of-4 from three, playing efficiently and proving once again that he is ready to be one of the cornerstones on a championship contender.

The Thunder's two veteran offseason additions, Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, also had strong showings. While neither recorded dazzling stats against the Spurs, both players filled their intended roles well.

Both players logged 17 minutes on the floor Monday night, with Hartenstein notching four points, eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal and one block and Caruso racking up five points, five assists, two rebounds one steal and one block.

Ousmane Dieng's struggles continue

Ousmane Dieng was selected one pick ahead of Williams in the 2022 NBA Draft, yet has spent most of his career in the G League while Williams has grown into one of the league's rising stars.

Last season, Dieng helped lead the OKC Blue to a G League title, earning Finals MVP along the way.

After performing well in the G League, there was hope that Dieng may be able to crack Oklahoma City's rotation this season, especially after having another offseason to improve his game. In the team's first preseason game of the year, however, Dieng struggled mightily.

The third-year wing went 1-for-6 from the field, tallying 2 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, two blocks and three turnovers. Dieng seems to be a decent defender, but doesn't have the aggression or shooting touch to be a threat on offense at the NBA level.

Strong showing from Thunder rookies

The Thunder's final two picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell, both had impressive outings against the Spurs.

Jones accumulated 17 points, five rebounds and three assists while shooting 8-for-11 from the field and 1-for-1 from the 3-point line. Mitchell recorded 19 points, two assists, two rebounds and one steal, shooting 8-for-14 from the field and 1-for-4 from beyond the arc.

If both players continue to play well, both Jones and Mitchell will have the opportunity to see NBA minutes this season, especially if Dieng's struggles continue and Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams miss more time with minor injuries.

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