Jalen Williams' health, Chet Holmgren's resilience among top storylines for OKC Thunder
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The OKC Thunder is looking to win its second championship in franchise history this NBA season.
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That's the standard for OKC, which won the title in 2025 but lost to the San Antonio Spurs in last year's Western Conference Finals. But the road back to the NBA's mountaintop won't be an easy one.
OKC will be without some familiar faces after trading away Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe this summer. And it'll face plenty of tough teams, from San Antonio in the West to the reigning champion New York Knicks in the East.
Here are five storylines for OKC entering this season:
Who will be the fifth starter?
Mark Daigneault has said in the past that he views the starting lineup as just another rotation decision, and that's accurate. But this is a big question nonetheless following OKC's decision to trade away Dort, a full-time starter since 2020.
One option is Cason Wallace, who's best suited to replace Dort as the team's top point-of-attack defender. The 22-year-old guard earned an All-Defensive second-team selection last season while leading the NBA in total steals (150). He's also a threat in transition and a career 37.4% 3-point shooter.
The second option is Ajay Mitchell, who already has a complete game offensively. He can get into the lane and create for himself or others, which would be a dangerous pairing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. And while he isn't as good of a defender as Wallace, he can still handle some tough assignments.
Can Jalen Williams return to form?
Last season was a tough one for Williams, who only played in 38 total games while dealing with a nagging right wrist injury and strains in both hamstrings. But don't forget what he did during the previous season.
Williams averaged a career-high 21.6 points. He earned All-NBA third team, All-Defensive second team and All-Star selections. And he helped OKC win its first championship in franchise history, even dropping 40 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Williams is a strong shot creator, a talented playmaker, a willing rebounder, a versatile defender and a fiery competitor. He can also play alongside stars and role players, making him an invaluable contributor. If he can stay healthy, he completely changes the dynamic and ceiling of this team.
Will the depth still be elite?
Dort, Wiggins and Joe logged a combined 5,324 minutes last season, including the playoffs. They also brought different things to the table, from Dort's defense to Wiggins' shot creation to Joe's floor spacing.
Replacing that production will be a group effort. Wallace will have to shine as the top point-of-attack defender. Mitchell will have to step up as a shot creator. Jared McCain will have to provide outside shooting. And that continues throughout the roster, as Kenrich Williams will be tasked with contributing on both ends.
The rookies will also get opportunities to contribute, from Aday Mara's rim protection to Bennett Stirtz's shooting to Otega Oweh's defense. It'll be interesting to see how all of that plays out.
Will Chet Holmgren shake off his end to last season?
Overall, Chet Holmgren played really well last season. He averaged career highs of 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds while earning All-NBA third team, All-Defensive first team and All-Star selections at age 24.
Holmgren also dominated the first two rounds of the playoffs, but that trend didn't continue against San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals. He was too passive, especially in Game 7. He only attempted two shots in 33 minutes.
OKC doesn't need Holmgren to be a 20-points-per-game scorer. It just needs him to capitalize on his opportunities offensively while being an elite player on the other end.
How will OKC fare against San Antonio?
San Antonio isn't the only other contender in the NBA. But it's the one that beat OKC in last year's playoffs, and it's the one with a core young enough to cause problems for years to come.
Having Williams and Mitchell in the mix will be huge. Their ball handling and shot creation will take pressure off of Gilgeous-Alexander. But there are other question marks with this matchup.
Can Holmgren be consistently effective on offense? Can the Thunder find a way to make life difficult for Victor Wembanyama? Can it slow the Spurs down in transition? The answers will be revealed throughout the course of this season, which starts with a game between these two teams in San Antonio on Oct. 20.
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Jalen Williams' health, Chet Holmgren's resilience among top storylines for OKC Thunder