Alex Caruso doesn’t need big scoring nights to matter for the Thunder. Through Oklahoma City’s first two wins of the season, his impact has shown up in the places this team values most: defense, steady decision-making and veteran poise.
That’s been a big reason OKC has opened with victories over the San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets, two projected top teams. Neither win came easy, and neither was especially pretty, but the Thunder still found a way to handle tough moments with a newer roster.
Caruso has been central to that. He hasn’t been asked to pile up points, and that was never really the assignment. His value comes from being reliable on the defensive end and consistently making the right play when the game gets messy.
There was also some uncertainty about how much the Thunder would lean on him during the regular season. In recent years, the team has limited his minutes to preserve him and maximize his value in the playoffs, but that approach may be changing after key departures in the offseason.
In Caruso’s first two seasons with Oklahoma City, his highest per-game minutes average was 19.3. This year, he’s already at 22 minutes per game through the first two outings. That number could settle down as the season rolls on, but early signs point to a larger regular-season role.
His production has backed that up. In the Thunder’s most recent game, Caruso finished with seven points, four rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal. On opening night, he posted nine points, six rebounds and another steal.
For Oklahoma City, that kind of work is exactly the point. Caruso won’t be asked to carry the offense, but his veteran leadership is already showing up, and the Thunder will count on that continuing as the season goes on.
In Other News...
Thunder May Make A Brutal Choice On Two Recent First Rounders
The Thunder are heading toward a familiar kind of problem for a contender: success now, but a payroll crunch looming behind it. With extensions for key players pushing the books higher over the next several seasons, Oklahoma City is already being forced to think ahead about how it can keep its roster intact without inviting even heavier luxury tax and cap penalties.
One possible answer is harsh for two recent first-round picks who have not had much chance to establish themselves because of health and playing time concerns. By Nov. 2, 2025, the Thunder will need to decide whether to move forward with their 2027-28 team options, and that deadline should say plenty about how aggressively the front office plans to manage the cost of keeping this core together. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Two-Way Move Reveals Early Roster Pressure In OKC
The Thunder have already had to make a roster adjustment before the season could even settle in, moving on from second-round pick Otega Oweh after his preseason Achilles injury left him unavailable for the year. It is an early reminder of how quickly depth charts can shift in Oklahoma City, where every open spot tends to carry some weight as the team balances immediate needs with long-term development.
In his place, the Thunder added Micah Peavy on a one-year two-way contract, bringing in a player who has already spent time with the New Orleans Pelicans. The move gives Oklahoma City another piece to work with between the NBA roster and the OKC Blue, and it also underscores the pressure that can surface fast when injuries change the picture before the games really begin. [Read more 🡒]
Shai Has Extra Reason To Bring It Against The Clippers
The Thunder head into Sunday evenings matchup with the Clippers at Paycom Center carrying a 2-0 record and the feel of a team that has settled in quickly, even with the seasons first back-to-back on the schedule. Oklahoma City has stayed mostly healthy, and the early spotlight again lands on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against the team he once played for, with Chet Holmgrens strong opening stretch and Josh Mitchells push for more offensive consistency adding to the backdrop.
For Gilgeous-Alexander, the date has a little extra edge because of who is across the floor, and the Thunder will need him to set the tone if they want to keep the early momentum rolling. Holmgrens impact has already given Oklahoma City a different kind of ceiling, while Mitchell is still working to make his scoring more steady, leaving this as one of those early-season tests that can tell a little more about where the rotation stands. [Read more 🡒]