Who Will Be OKC Thunder’s Fourth Leading Scorer This Season?

Part of what makes this Thunder team so special is the production that they get across the board. It felt like every player in the rotation had a key moment or game that they stepped up in. The coaching staff trusts each and every one of the players, and it shows in the confidence that they play with.

Obviously, it has been and will be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way night in and night out. The Thunder’s superstar took home MVP honors after his third straight season averaging over 30 points per game. Most nights, it’s a given that he’ll be the game’s leading scorer — he’s already in rare air averaging over 30 points per game for an entire season, let alone three in a row. He’s one of the premier scorers in the NBA and that won’t be changing anytime soon.

Behind Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams seems to have firmly cemented himself as the Thunder’s second leading scorer. He eclipsed 20 points per game en route to his first All-Star appearance this season, and has grown as a scorer every season. His 40-point explosion in the NBA Finals introduced the world to how talented he is. 

When healthy, it’s safe to assume Chet Holmgren will round out Oklahoma City’s top three. The three players that were awarded massive contracts this offseason should lead the way for the Thunder in scoring this season — it’s not a big secret. 

After the top three players on the roster, it turns into quite the guessing game: Who will be the Thunder’s fourth leading scorer this season? There are certainly a handful of options.

The obvious answer is Aaron Wiggins, who turned a corner this season. He slotted in at 12.0 points per game in a role off the bench for the Thunder and increased his volume across the board. With the amount of court time he gets and the amount of triples he takes, there’s certainly a good chance he keeps possession of that fourth spot.

Aside from Wiggins, both Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein averaged double digits a season ago. For Dort, we’ve seen him average over 17 points per game — although he has settled into a much more efficient role these days. Still, he has proven he can do it. Hartenstein sat at 11.2 points per game a season ago while still workshopping an outside shot. If he shows any progression in that area of his game, he could certainly claim the spot as the Thunder’s fourth leading scorer.

If this were based on postseason scoring, it might be a different story. Oklahoma City will likely manage Alex Caruso’s minutes strategically, but when he’s playing as big of a role as he did in the playoffs, he has the ability to be the Thunder’s fourth leading scorer, too. That’s exactly where he slotted in last postseason, with 9.2 points per game on 41.1% from 3-point range.

For the Thunder, it’s a great problem to have. There are a handful of different options — in the starting lineup and off the bench — that could be the Thunder’s fourth leading scorer. It speaks to the depth of this team, and what makes them so good.