3 areas where the Thunder should be drastically improved in 2023-24
By Ian Levy
Despite the second-youngest roster in the NBA last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder notched a win in the NBA Play-In Tournament and came just one win from securing the No. 8 seed and a playoff spot.
From March 1 through the end of the regular season, they finished with a 12-9 record and a positive point differential. This team got stronger and stronger as the season went along and there's every reason to think they could be ready for a big leap this year.
In addition to the young core who carried them last year, they'll be adding Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA who missed all of last season with a broken foot. They also picked up veteran sharpshooter Davis Bertans, former Euroleague MVP Vasilije Micic, Victor Oladipo and Cason Wallace, a ferocious perimeter defender and the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Internal development alone should make the Thunder better next season but that, combined with their roster additions should help them address three of their most problematic weaknesses from last season.
Areas where the Thunder will improve: 3. Outside shooting
The Thunder were a good, but not great, 3-point shooting team last season. The creation ability of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey put plenty of pressure on the defense and led to a lot of great catch-and-shoot looks, but the supporting cast wasn't always ready to leverage them.
The Thunder attempted 27.0 catch-and-shoot 3s per game, seventh-most in the league, but made just 36.3 percent — ranking 18th. And for all their talents as creators, Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Giddy aren't really threats to shoot off the dribble from beyond the arc and collectively the Thunder ranked 21st in the league in pull-up 3-point shooting.
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Some internal improvement from Williams and Giddey could help, as would some better shot selection from Gilgeous-Alexander. But the real upside here for the Thunder are some new additions to the roster.
Chet Holmgren will be back in the lineup and could be a game-changer as a frontcourt floor-spacer. The 7-footer made 39 percent of his 3s in his lone season at Gonzaga and is a threat both spotting up and pulling up in transition. Minutes are going to be tight in this crowded rotation, but the Thunder also added Bertans, a career 39.8 percent 3-point shooter, and former Micic who shot 39.9 percent from beyond the arc across all competitions last season.
Between improvement from their young players, more reps in their offensive system and those three new additions to the rotation the Thunder should be much more dangerous from beyond the arc.