It goes without saying that the Thunder are going to have a much different look this year.
With the departure of both Russell Westbrook and Paul George, Oklahoma City is in desperate need of their young talent to step up and fill the void. Luckily for OKC, they have several players on the roster that are poised for a breakout year.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
This one is a no-brainer. Gilgeous-Alexander was a second-team All-Rookie selection with the Clippers in 2018-19. He led all rookies on +.500 teams in both scoring and minutes per game. In his only season in Los Angeles, SGA averaged 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 3.3 assists in 26.5 minutes per game.
By the looks of his Instagram, Gilgeous-Alexander has been putting in the work to make sure his second season is equally as successful, which is good because the Thunder will need him most in the absence of Westbrook.
2. Hamidou Diallo
The fellow Kentucky alum is also on the cusp of a stellar season in Oklahoma City and fans should be encouraged by the play they saw from Diallo during the Las Vegas Summer League.
Hami didn’t get a lot of playing time in 2018-19, but showed flashes of his ability in multiple double-digit scoring games, including dropping 18 in against the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 19.
Let’s also not forget that Diallo won the dunk contest this year. He’s the first Thunder player to win, which should do wonders for his confidence this season.
Hami should see more court time this season, however with the current logjam at point guard, it’s going to be interesting to see where the time comes from.
He might be the person that could benefit most from a potential Chris Paul trade, as it would likely shift Gilgeous-Alexander back to the point, freeing up space in the rotation for Diallo.
3. Steven Adams
Adams has enjoyed his career thus far as a role player for the Thunder, content to play in the shadow of other stars. He’s progressed steadily throughout each season, and now that both Westbrook and George are gone, it’s Adams’ time to shine.
The 26-year-old has been close to averaging a double-double over the last two years, in 2017-18, he went for 13.9 points and 9.0 rebounds. His scoring remained the same in 2018-19, but he increased his rebounds to 9.5 per game. With the potential to be more of a first option this year, it wouldn’t be surprising to see those numbers rise to 15 and 10 per night.
