The Coach of the Year embraces uncertainty, prioritizing internal growth and roster flexibility as a hungry Oklahoma City squad battles to integrate new pieces and redefine rotation roles.
There was a lot to take away from Mark Daigneault’s media day press conference, but one of the biggest things that stood out was how open-ended the Oklahoma City Thunder seem to be heading into the season.
For a team that has established themselves as a serious contender every year now, it’s interesting that the Thunder aren't treating the offseason like they have everything figured out. Instead, Daigneault is focused on development, competition for roles and figuring out how the new pieces fit together.
One of the biggest priorities is continuing to develop Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Daigneault made it clear that development is still a major part of how the Thunder operate. It’s not just about the younger, new players and helping get them better, either.
Everyone on the roster is expected to keep improving. For a team that already has a championship under its belt, that mindset is pretty important because it means Oklahoma City isn’t satisfied with simply running back what worked last season.
Jalen Williams could be especially important this year. Daigneault talked about how versatile Williams is and how many different things he can do on the court. He can play multiple positions, defend different types of players and fit into a lot of different lineups. Having that kind of player gives the Thunder a lot of flexibility, especially when they need to adjust during a playoff series.
Cason Wallace was another name that stood out. Daigneault had a lot of positive things to say about Wallace’s offseason and how much work he has put in. He also talked about Wallace returning better than he was before.
“If I try to steer that much with him or any other player,” Daigneault said about Wallace.
“You could be putting up a ceiling. There are a lot of players that have evolved into something that I wouldn't have necessarily given an answer to. So I have learned not to give the answer. It's a blank slate.”
What makes this interesting is that the Thunder don’t seem to have decided exactly what Wallace’s role will be yet. He has already shown that he can handle big moments, including starting games during the Finals, so there’s a real opportunity for him to take on more responsibility.
Jared McCain is in a similar position. Daigneault clearly likes what McCain brings to the team, especially considering what he was able to do after joining the Thunder during the season. Now that McCain gets a full training camp with the team, Oklahoma City will have a better chance to figure out exactly how he fits.
At the same time, Daigneault made it clear that nobody is being handed minutes. Players are going to have to earn their opportunities by making an impact.
That approach is especially interesting because the Thunder did lose some important pieces. Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe all brought different things to the team, and replacing them isn't as simple as finding three players who do the exact same things.
Dort, for example, brought physicality and the ability to defend some of the toughest players in the league. Daigneault acknowledged that those qualities are still important, but he doesn't seem interested in deciding ahead of time who has to replace them.
The same goes for the Thunder’s bigger lineup. Oklahoma City has several front-court players, but that doesn't necessarily mean the team is going to suddenly play big all the time. Daigneault basically said the team will go with whatever its strengths end up being.
If the best lineups are smaller and more athletic, they'll play that way. If the bigger players give them an advantage, they'll lean into that instead.
Another interesting part of the press conference was Daigneault talking about the playoff series against San Antonio.
“We need to take the lessons from that series for sure, and we did. But it's certainly not something that we overcorrect for because you end up chasing your shadow, and it prevents you from being your best as you move forward,” Daigneault said about their Western Conference Finals loss to the Spurs.
The Thunder obviously learned from that experience, but they aren't going to completely change their identity just because of one opponent. They want to build a team that can handle different styles and different challenges throughout the season.
Overall, the message was pretty simple: the Thunder know what their core is, but they don't know exactly what the rest of the team is going to look like yet. And that's okay. Players like Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, and Jared McCain have opportunities to take on bigger roles, while Jalen Williams gives Oklahoma City the versatility to build different lineups.
For a team that has won a championship, it’s actually pretty refreshing. The Thunder aren't acting like they've reached the finish line. They're treating this season as another chance to get better, figure out what works and see just how good this group can become.
