The Oklahoma City Thunder have been eager to give first-round draft pick Aleksej Pokusevski minutes off the bench this season. The 19-year-old, selected No. 17 overall, is averaging 16 minutes per game over his first five contests.
Despite Pokusevski’s shooting troubles, giving him these minutes is logical. Right now, his big hurdle is understanding how to play against NBA players, not an actual lack of talent — he’s shown chops rebounding and playmaking and his shooting stroke looks to have a solid form with a quick release.
In an organization that isn’t judging progress based on wins and losses, playing Pokusevski makes sense in both the short- and long-term.
However, the rookie suffered a concussion during practice on Sunday and is in concussion protocol. That will force the Thunder to turn to other players.
Head coach Mark Daigneault said Monday prior to the game against the Miami Heat that exploring the roster without breaking the rhythm of the lineups is important.
“One thing philosophically that we try to do as a coaching staff and as an organization is explore the roster,” Daigneault said. “Give different guys different opportunities and see how different combinations kind of click.”
Who will get the chance to step up in this specific situation? Let’s take a look at some of the options.
