Cason Wallace’s Value Continues to Increase Every Game

It’s easy to forget how young this Thunder roster still is after they won an NBA championship a season ago. The rotation is scattered with players that are still improving, though, and will certainly get better over time. Especially with the Thunder’s development system, it’s scary to think about what this team could become considering how good they already are.

One of the players who embodies that statement is Thunder guard Cason Wallace — who turned 22 on Friday. Wallace has been a key player for the Thunder from the day he was drafted by the franchise, but his value seems to increase with every game. He is arguably one of the team’s most important players, now — and it’s on both ends of the floor, too.

Wallace will likely be an All-Defensive Team player at some point in his career, and potentially even this season. With Oklahoma City’s injuries, he has been simply terrific taking on big assignments and finding a way to force turnovers. He’s second in the NBA in steals per game, averaging 2.6 per night.

He has always been an elite defender, though. His on-ball skills and instincts are top tier, and he regularly guards players that are bigger than he is. 

But this season, he has clearly added a few key elements to his offensive game that has really helped round out his elite skillset. He is the perfect player for this Thunder team, and once the roster is fully healthy it'll be even more obvious. He can fill so many different roles for this squad, and already has so far this season.

On Friday, Wallace had his most efficient offensive game of the season. He poured in 15 points on 6-of-8 from the floor and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. The hot shooting brought his long range percentage to 42.5% on the season.

Wallace is now averaging 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on the season. The scoring is certainly impressive, but those are career-high numbers across the board for Wallace. Many expected Wallace to take a big jump in the playmaking department this offseason and across preseason action, but now it's real. He has taken the leap.

Oklahoma City needs Wallace to continue being assertive and pushing the envelope. His development is a big deal for this team, and he has a chance to be one of the best two-way players in the NBA. His recent play further affirms that.