OKC Thunder’s Guard Depth Could Be a Major Strength

At one point during Oklahoma City’s rebuild, everyone thought the roster had far too many talented guards. The Thunder were busy playing positionless basketball, though, so it never really mattered. Eventually, they did have to cut ties with a few good players, but the talent in the room still remained. Now, after winning a championship, the talent at the guard position might just be at an all time high.

Of course, the Thunder his it’s trio of defensive minded guards that might even be classified as wings with the talented players they end up guarding. Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso make life easy for the Thunder’s other guards — the primary ball handlers. At times, especially as the Thunder has risen to the top, the ball movement has gotten stagnant and it has felt like the team could use another creator. Heading into this season, though, it feels like Oklahoma City is in a great spot with offense initiators.

Starting with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City obviously has one of the best one-two punches in the NBA. Not many guard duos are as talented offensively as those two engines, and each had a big time to shine in the NBA playoffs. But now, when they head to the bench, the Thunder’s ball-handlers off the bench can really make a big difference.

Ajay Mitchell and Nikola Topic are both ultra talented in their own unique ways. Mitchell was a crucial part of the Thunder’s first half success before suffering a small set back with an injury. Topic has always been a player with high potential, and now that he’s fully healthy, he’ll have a runway to prove what he brings to the table.

The best part about the Thunder’s backup guards is the chemistry they’ve been able to form during Summer League. Topic’s football passes to Mitchell for easy layups, and quick swings across the court for easy triples are just one example.

Mitchell has the steady hand, everything you want out of a backup point guard. He can create for himself and others and has a reliable jumper. Topic is the wildcard with a high ceiling that can elevate the entire group if he pans out to the player that Oklahoma City is expecting him to be. Together, they can form one of the most talented duos in the league.

Backing up arguably the best backcourt in the league, they don’t have to do too much to hold the fort down. But with the combined potential of both Topic and Mitchell, the four Thunder offense initiators can form one of the best backcourt rotations in the NBA.