Oklahoma City's frontcourt has taken a hit over the course of preseason action. Both Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams will be sidelined to start the season, and the Thunder's only healthy center is Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren is coming off of a season-ending injury, too, and can't be expected to play full games. It'll take time to adjust to the demanding slate of NBA games and the pace of play.
Aleksej Pokusevski has been nursing an ankle sprain, and it looked like he would be sidelined to start the season, too. Surprisingly, his name was not included in the injury report, meaning he's available to play on Wednesday night against the Bulls. Because of the recent injury and timeframe, it's uncertain if Mark Daigneault will play him right away, but if he does, it's a prime opportunity for Pokusevski to prove himself and demand minutes moving forward.
The Serbian started at center on opening night a season ago and played well. Early last season, Pokusevski had his best stretch of games as a member of the Thunder and looked to be progressing in a big way. After injuries derailed the majority of his season, he seemed like an afterthought heading into the summer.
After two injuries this summer, one to his forearm and the other to his ankle, it seemed like a missed a prime opportunity to play in Summer League, for Team Serbia in FIBA, and get live reps with the Thunder team at the facility. But his individual training could pay off, and we're about to get a glimpse of how he fits on the current team.
Pokusevski has become more efficient every year in the NBA, and last season he took a massive jump defensively. He was always supposed to be a massive project, but heading into the season before he hits restricted free agency, fans are wanting to see progress on the court. Patience has always been key in this experiment, though.
He wasn't awarded an extension, but strong play could lead the Thunder to match the offer sheets he receives next summer.
With the recent injuries to the front court and Pokusevski's elevation off the injury report, now is the perfect chance for the do-it-all 7-footer to prove he still belongs. The first few weeks of the regular season will be massive for a player in Poku's position.
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