The Oklahoma City Thunder are the dictionary definition of an embarrassment of riches. Coming off an NBA championship, they've managed to somehow amass even depth this season, and they still hold on to a slew of future draft capital.
Third-year guard Cason Wallace was a key part of OKC's championship run last year, establishing himself as a fantastic role player with his blend of stifling defense, connective playmaking, basketball-IQ and 3-point shooting. But with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined recently, Wallace is showing that he might be a lot more than "just" a role player: In nine games without SGA, Wallace is averaging 14.8 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds, including three straight games with 20-plus points.Â
Going back to the draft, Jrue Holiday was a common comparison for Wallace, and it's easy to see why. While Wallace had flashed some similarities early in his career, this recent stretch shows his true Holiday-like upside. And with the Thunder already positioned to dominate for the next decade, teams should be frightened by that possibility.
Jrue Holiday is the ultimate chess piece and a winning player
What has made Holiday so special throughout his career is his malleability. His blend of on-ball defense and positional versatility has long made him one of the best defenders in the league. And during the Milwaukee Bucks' 2021 title run, Holiday provided co-star-level offensive production next to Giannis Antetkounmpo.
Yes, Khris Middleton averaged more points and was in the traditional sense the team's second option. Nevertheless, on any given night, Holiday could be the Robin to Giannis' Batman, and his lead playmaking made the offense work.Â
With the Boston Celtics in 2024, Holiday wonderfully adapted to a lesser (yet crucial) role. Between Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, the Celtics didn't need Holiday's lead playmaking or second-option level scoring chops. However, they absolutely benefited from his connective playmaking, spot-up shooting, rebounding and, of course, defense. In the NBA Finals, Holiday finished as the team's third-leading scorer (14.4 points per game) while clamping down on Kyrie Irving.
Holiday proved to be the missing piece for the Bucks and Celtics, as trading for him allowed both teams to get over the championship hump.
Cason Wallace can blossom into a Jrue Holiday-like role for the Thunder
We've already seen Wallace in a role similar to what Holiday played with the Celtics, playing off the ball while taking on tough assignments up and down the positional spectrum defensively. But now we're seeing signs that he can scale up when needed. Before diving into his offensive upside that we've seen in recent weeks, though, I want to highlight just how good a defender Wallace is.Â
According to Basketball Index, Wallace ranks in the 95th percentile for perimeter isolation defense and the 93rd percentile for matchup difficulty. Furthermore, according to Databallr, he ranks in the 99th percentile for steals per 100 possessions and the 98th percentile for deflections per 100 possessions.Â
Wallace's blend of exceptional on-ball defense and his ability to force turnovers at a high rate is eerily similar to what we've seen from Holiday for the past decade-plus. I truly believe Wallace is OKC's second-best defender (behind Chet Holmgren) — and on an all-time great defensive team, that's high praise.
In terms of his offense, Wallace has mostly played a spot-up and connective playmaker role to perfection on a loaded Thunder squad. However, we are now seeing that he can do more as a lead guard and creator. In the past nine games, Wallace has seen a 16.8 percent uptick in non-assisted baskets. He has specifically showcased what he can do as a pull-up shooter and finisher.Â
Here's an amazing finish against the Toronto Raptors and a smooth jumper over Cade Cunningham.Â
Wallace has long been a dependable playmaker who rarely makes mistakes. However, I've been extremely impressed by his ability to organize the offense without making mistakes in this higher-usage role. Wallace is averaging 5.5 assists and 1.5 turnovers during the past nine games without Shai. This proves that if need be, Wallace can be a true lead guard in spurts.
As long as the Thunder have SGA, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, Wallace will be the fourth option (at best). Regardless, having Wallace (and other players like Ajay Mitchell) makes the Thunder uniquely positioned to deal with key injuries. Additionally, if one of OKC's "big three" has an off night, Wallace can step up and provide second-level scoring production in a pinch.Â
Wallace might not be a household name (yet), but as the Thunder aim to put together a dynasty, he will be a crucial part of their success. Ultimately, Wallace is yet another reason for all 29 other teams to be jealous of what Sam Presti has assembled.