Thunder Summer League: Final Game Against Pelicans Brings New Opportunity
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s finale in NBA Summer League will take place on Sunday evening against the New Orleans Pelicans. As the event has gone one, more of the top players on the roster have been sidelined due to injury and rest.
During the transition between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, Aleksej Pokusevski was pulled from the roster to allow allow less experienced players time on the floor. From there, Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren throughout the past week have wrapped up their summer stints.
On the injury front, both Ousmane Dieng and Tre Mann have been sidelined with minor injuries. Additionally, second year players Aaron Wiggins and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl have both sat out a game due to rest.
As such, Oklahoma City could opt to play without its top six or seven players in Sunday’s contest. At this point, it’s about roster exploration and getting the guys near the end of the bench more reps and exposure.
Summer league is about development, but also about evaluating players that could slot into the Thunder’s G League system.
For example, Jaden Shackelford got his first real action on Friday night as he produced 12 points in 17 minutes.
Additionally, Eugene Omoruyi and Gabe Brown have seen action throughout the summer but could now see expanded roles. Lindy Waters has also been asked to step up recently to prove he’s more than just a shooter.
Outside of these players, there’s still several prospects on the roster that have seen little to no floor time yet this summer. The Thunder’s final matchup against the Pelicans could be the perfect time to see what those guys have to offer.
All things considered, the rotation in Sunday’s matchup could look very different than it did when the summer events began.
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