The Thunder may be on the verge of a major offensive rethink, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could end up serving as the league’s most dangerous decoy.
For years, Oklahoma City has leaned hard on Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to control the ball, break defenders down, and live in isolation. Last season, he delivered his fourth straight 30-plus point-per-game campaign, took nearly 20 shots a night, and ranked in the 92.6 percentile in iso sets. That kind of usage has defined the Thunder attack.
But heading into 2026-27, there’s at least some chatter that the team might be ready to turn that formula on its head.
On a recent episode of The Kevin O'Connor Show, host Kevin O'Connor raised the possibility of Oklahoma City “undergoing a very subtle shift in the way in which they play on the offensive end,” pointing to the number of creators the roster now has, both young and experienced.
That idea is rooted in something the Thunder already showed last season, especially during their deep playoff run: Gilgeous-Alexander can be devastating even when he isn’t the one finishing the play. His presence alone bends defenses, and when opponents load up on him with double and even triple teams, the openings for everyone else get wide fast.
O'Connor’s point is that Oklahoma City may want to lean into that more often.
Instead of asking Gilgeous-Alexander to carry the full scoring burden every night, the Thunder could put more responsibility on players like a presumably healthy Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Cason Wallace, Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz, and others to create offense for themselves and for teammates.
There’s also the durability side of the conversation. Injuries can hit at any time, and the Thunder know that better than most. The concern, as The Athletic senior NBA writer Sam Amick put it, is that “going five years playing Luka-style basketball” could take a toll on Gilgeous-Alexander’s longevity and durability, much like it has with Doncic.
So the path forward may be simple: use SGA less as the constant engine and more as the force that warps the defense. If Oklahoma City can do that, it could unlock more self-created offense across the roster while keeping its cornerstone fresher for the long haul.
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