Jaylin Williams is entering the season with a simple plan: keep building on what already works.
With Oklahoma City’s roster looking different after multiple key players were traded away this offseason, the Thunder are asking more from the players who are still in place. That includes Williams, who has typically backed up at center but could be used in a more flexible way as the frontcourt fills out with Thomas Sorber and Aday Mara.
Williams said at media day on Monday that he is not chasing a brand-new identity. He wants to sharpen the tools he already has.
“Just continue to grow my strengths,” Williams said at media day on Monday. “I think that’s the best way to get better as a player is to continue to get stronger in your strengths.
I want to be a better shooter. I want to be a better defender, better passer.
All my strong suits of my game, I want my body to get better. So just continue to get stronger in the areas I’m already strong at.”
That approach keeps Williams in a comfortable lane, but it could also put him in a bigger spot for OKC. He averaged 19.6 minutes per game last season, and that number could rise if the Thunder ask him to spend more time on the wing in addition to his work inside.
That kind of movement would test different parts of his game. On the perimeter, Williams could be matched with quicker scorers who can shoot. He could also be leaned on more as a passer, especially with the new bigs around him, while continuing to develop his three-point shot.
Williams didn’t frame it as a new role, but the expanded responsibility could be exactly what Oklahoma City needs as it tries to replace what was lost in the offseason. He’ll still be trying to play his game - just with a bigger load attached to it.
In Other News...
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is Giving Thunder Fans A Dangerous New Thought
Early in training camp, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander already has Thunder fans looking twice at the little things, the kind that can make a star feel even more dangerous. A video making the rounds showed him in sprint drills alongside Jared McCain, and the broader takeaway was hard to miss: Gilgeous-Alexander is spending the offseason sharpening the parts of his game that make Oklahoma Citys offense hum.
The timing matters because Gilgeous-Alexander and McCain have put in real work together all summer, building chemistry while pushing each other in the process. McCain said the two spent a lot of time training together, including workouts in Canada, and that kind of shared grind is the sort of detail Thunder fans will file away as they wait to see how much quicker and sharper their centerpiece looks when the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Camp Is Already Forcing A Big Post-Dort Lineup Call
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One of the biggest is who fills Dorts spot in the starting group, and the early signs point toward Cason Wallace being a central part of that conversation. Head coach Mark Daigneault has made it clear he trusts Wallace, and executive Sam Presti has also signaled confidence in him since the trade, giving the Thunder a clear direction even as camp work continues to determine how the pieces fit together. [Read more 🡒]
Bennett Stirtz Faces A Thunder Role Change Right Away
Bennett Stirtz is already adjusting to life as a rookie with the Thunder, and the shift starts with how he will be used. At media day, the guard talked about adapting to a different playing style and embracing a catch-and-shoot role, a far cry from the kind of ball-handling burden he carried in college. He also stressed that confidence and repetition will matter as he settles into the teams system.
The opening comes with a clear opportunity, too, because Oklahoma City has a spot to fill after Isaiah Joe was moved to the Detroit Pistons. For Stirtz, that creates both pressure and a lane to carve out minutes quickly, especially if he can translate his shotmaking into the role the Thunder need. What remains to be seen is how fast he can make that transition look natural once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]