by Zak Hanshew, Rotoworld
Earlier crew recaps: DET, WAS, POR, CHA, SAS, TOR, MEM, UTA, BKN, ATL, CHI, HOU, SAC, GSW, MIA, PHI, ORL, LAL, IND, CLE, PHX, NOR, MIL, NYK, LAC, MIN, DEN
At a look:
Report: 57-25 (1st, West)
Offensive Score: 118.3 (third)
Defensive Score: 111.0 (4th)
Web Score: 7.3 (2nd)
Tempo: 100.8 (fifth)
2024 NBA Draft Picks: 12
The Thunder have been far exterior the title contender dialog for practically a decade, however that modified in 2023-24. Oklahoma Metropolis went to the Western Convention Finals within the 2015-16 season and adopted that up with 4 straight first-round exits and three straight missed playoffs.
The Thunder had been 40-42 in 2022-23, however the crew took a significant leap ahead in 2023-24, including 15 wins and claiming the highest seed in an ultra-competitive Western Convention.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander confirmed that final season’s top-3 end was hardly a fluke. Jalen Williams adopted up his stellar rookie marketing campaign with a good higher Yr 2 effort, and Chet Holmgren compiled a monster first season.
The longer term is brilliant for the up-and-coming Thunder, and fantasy managers have many causes to be excited. How did the crew’s gamers fare in fantasy hoops through the 2023-24 season, and the way ought to managers method them for the upcoming season and past? We’ve obtained you coated beneath!
Fantasy Standout: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SGA was second in per-game fantasy worth and totals behind averages of 30.1 factors, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.9 blocks and 1.3 triples whereas taking pictures 53.5% from the ground and 87.4% from the free-throw line. The rebounds, assists, steals and FG% had been all career-highs. Along with being one in all solely 4 gamers to common 30 factors, SGA tied De’Aaron Fox for the league lead in steals per sport, and Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in complete steals.
Well being considerations made him a worth play in 2022-23, and he confirmed his sustained sturdiness in 2023-24 with 75 video games performed and 34.0 minutes per evening. As an added bonus, his 2.2 turnovers had been his lowest mark in 4 seasons.
SGA carried an ADP of 5.4 in 2023-24 fantasy drafts, and he must be a top-5 choose but once more. Fantasy managers shouldn’t have any worry about deciding on the budding famous person this early. He’s simply coming into his prime, and he ought to proceed to publish glorious numbers on each ends of the court docket for years to return.
Fantasy Revelation: Chet Holmgren
Holmgren was a first-rounder for stretch of the season, and he completed twenty fifth in per-game worth and seventh in totals. The large man averaged 16.5 factors, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 2.3 blocks and 1.6 triples, and he would have been the Rookie of the Yr in practically every other season that didn’t embody No. 1 sensation Victor Wembanyama.
Holmgren shot 53.0% from the sphere and 79.3% from the charity stripe. He logged 29.4 minutes per sport and remarkably appeared in all 82 contests after lacking the whole thing of what would have been his first marketing campaign in 2022-23.
Holmgren had some huge video games, together with a 36/10/5/2/2 efficiency in opposition to Golden State on November 18 and a 35/14/1/2/3 line in opposition to Utah on March 20. The Gonzaga product had a number of blocks in eight video games, and he swatted a career-best eight photographs on December 16 at Denver.
His 47.8 ADP made him an unimaginable worth, although that ADP ought to rise significantly in 2024-25 drafts. Choosing him within the second or third rounds of drafts wouldn’t be unreasonable contemplating his numerous and fantasy-friendly skillset.
Fantasy Disappointment: Josh Giddey
Giddey up? Extra like “maintain your horses.” Giddey performed so poorly in 2023-24 that he was a drop candidate by mid-season. He’s coming into the ultimate 12 months of his rookie deal, and in response to Spotrac’s Keith Smith, Giddey isn’t anticipated to obtain an extension.
Giddey took an enormous step ahead in effectivity in Yr 2 and improved his statistical output throughout the board. In Yr 3, nonetheless, Giddey regressed considerably. The Australian guard averaged 12.3 factors, 6.4 boards, 4.8 dimes, 0.6 steals and 1.0 triples. Giddey appeared in 80 video games and logged simply 25.2 minutes per tilt. The factors, rebounds, assists and steals had been career-lows, and he completed 153rd in per-game fantasy worth regardless of a lofty 58.9 ADP.
Giddey logged simply 12.5 minutes within the Western Convention semifinals and relinquished his beginning position to Isaiah Joe in Video games 5 and 6 of the sequence. Giddey wants the ball in his palms to be only, and his skillset feels redundant on a crew that already boasts SGA, Holmgren and Jalen Williams. A 6’8, 22-year-old level guard must be engaging in commerce eventualities, so don’t be shocked if Giddey is taking part in for a distinct crew by some level subsequent season.
Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads
Jalen Williams: After an outstanding rookie marketing campaign, JDub took the following ahead in 2023-24 with a good higher efficiency. The second-year man out of Santa Clara averaged 19.1 factors, 4.0 boards, 4.5 dimes, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.5 triples. Williams shot effectively with 54.0/81.4/42.7 splits, and he dedicated just one.7 turnovers. Apart from the rebounds and steals, Williams’ numbers and taking pictures percentages had been up throughout the board.
He completed thirtieth in per-game and thirty seventh in totals, providing super worth to managers due to his 65.7 ADP. We haven’t but seen Williams’ finest basketball, and the third-year man deserves a glance within the center rounds of 2024-25 fantasy drafts as he continues to ascend.
Lu Dort: Dort appeared in 79 video games, although he logged simply 28.4 minutes per sport, his fewest minutes since his rookie marketing campaign. Dort’s manufacturing took successful throughout the board, and he averaged 10.9 factors, 3.6 boards, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks and a pair of.0 triples. Dort shot career-bests from the sphere (43.8%) and from past the arc (39.4%) whereas hitting 82.6% from the charity stripe.
Most 3PM by Thunder gamers this 12 months:
Lu Dort – 156 3PM (39.4% 3P)Isaiah Joe – 147 (41.6%)Chet Holmgren – 129 (37.0%)Jalen Williams – 103 (42.7%)Cason Wallace – 98 (41.9%)
Elite Shooters. pic.twitter.com/Q234OGlquY
— Thunder Muse (@ThunderMuse_) June 3, 2024
Dort completed exterior the top-125 in per-game fantasy worth, although he was a top-80 participant in totals. He’s an outstanding real-life defender identified for placing opponents within the “Dorture Chamber,” although that on-the-court protection hasn’t translated exceptionally to the realm of fantasy hoops. Dort is finest suited as a 3-and-D specialist in deeper leagues who ought to see loads of minutes and be accessible for many of the season.
Cason Wallace: Wallace was one in all solely two rookies to seem in all 82 video games, becoming a member of teammate Chet Holmgren on that brief listing. Wallace performed a significant rotational position in his inaugural marketing campaign, logging 20.6 minutes per tilt and posting averages of 6.8 factors, 2.3 boards, 1.5 dimes, 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.2 triples. Wallace shot 49.1/78.4/41.9 splits and completed simply inside the highest 200 in per-game fantasy worth. The spotlight of his rookie season got here on March 10 when he scored 22 factors and hit 4 three-pointers in opposition to the Grizzlies. He’s not but value a glance in 12-team leagues, however he’s value monitoring to see how his minutes shake out to open up the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
Isaiah Joe: Joe has made a reputation for himself as a sharpshooter, and he put his long-range taking pictures expertise on show in his second season with OKC. Izzy Joe averaged 8.2 factors, 2.3 boards and 1.9 triples, taking pictures 45.8% from the ground and 86.5% from the charity stripe. Although most notable for his long-range accuracy, Joe confirmed off his athleticism as properly.
His finest sport of the season got here on November 16 when he scored 23 factors and drained seven three-pointers at Golden State. He averaged 19.8 minutes within the Western Convention semifinals and began Video games 5 and 6 rather than Josh Giddey. If Giddey is traded earlier than the beginning of the 2024-25 marketing campaign, Joe may earn a full-time beginning gig which might make him value a late-round flyer.
Gordon Hayward: Hayward supplied restricted manufacturing throughout 24.4 minutes and posted the worst statistical season since his rookie marketing campaign again in 2010-11. Availability has been a significant concern in latest seasons, and the veteran may signal the ultimate contract of his profession in free company this summer season. It’s unknown the place he’ll play in 2024-25, however no matter touchdown spot, he’ll be a late-round flyer at finest in fantasy drafts.
Restricted Free Brokers: Keyontae Johnson, Olivier Sarr, TyTy Washington
Unrestricted Free Brokers: Bismack Biyombo, Mike Muscala, Gordon Hayward
Membership Possibility: Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Lindy Waters III