The Thunder’s season opener against the Spurs offered a first glimpse at a different kind of starting five, and Cason Wallace wasted no time showing why his fit may stretch beyond the role Lu Dort once filled.
On Tuesday, OKC beat San Antonio with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of the group looking sharp on both ends. But the real shift came from the newest starter. Wallace slid into the open 3-and-D spot after Dort’s offseason departure, and the early evidence suggests he brings a lot more than just perimeter defense.
What stood out most was how often Wallace handled the ball. He logged only two assists, but that number doesn’t fully capture how much responsibility he carried. At different points, he brought the ball up and helped run the offense, giving the Thunder a third ball handler in the starting lineup.
That’s a major difference from what Dort brought to the table. Across seven seasons in OKC, Dort never became a true playmaking option. His best assist rate topped out at 2.1 per game, and last season it fell to 1.2 per game.
Wallace has already flashed a much higher passing ceiling. Last season, when the Thunder’s main ball handlers were out, the Kentucky product took on a lead distributor role and piled up 28 assists over a four-game stretch in mid-February.
He probably won’t be asked to do that kind of heavy lifting when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Ajay Mitchell are all available, but the point is clear: he can do it if needed.
That opens doors for the offense. With Wallace able to handle point guard duties at times, Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams can spend more time playing off the ball. That gives Oklahoma City more ways to move pieces around and keeps the offense from becoming too predictable.
It also fits with where Gilgeous-Alexander has already been heading. He has been working on his off-ball game, and Wallace gives him another capable partner to make that a real part of the attack.
The ripple effect goes beyond the stars, too. Jared McCain, Alex Caruso, and Jaylin Williams have already proven they can knock down spot-up looks, so another floor general who can organize the offense only adds to the mix.
Bottom line: Wallace gives the Thunder something they did not have with Dort in the starting lineup - a higher offensive ceiling, with more flexibility built into the whole machine.
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