For years, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has worn the NBA’s “free-throw merchant” label whether he deserved it or not. The tag has stuck to the Thunder star for a long time, but early in the 2026-27 season, Luka Doncic is making a strong case to take that unwanted crown.
Doncic has been living at the line through seven games. He’s averaging a league-high 10.1 free-throw attempts per night and has already scored 63 points from the charity stripe, which makes up about 24 percent of his 268 total points so far.
Thunder beat reporter Michael Martin noted that Doncic is on pace for 818 free-throw attempts this season. That would put him 349 ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander’s current pace of 469 and 79 above Shai’s previous career high of 739, set in 2022-23.
So while the season is still young, Doncic looks like the player most likely to inherit the league’s most notorious foul-drawing reputation. That would leave Gilgeous-Alexander free of the moniker that has followed him around for years.
The bigger issue for Oklahoma City, though, is that Shai’s own offensive production has dipped in the opening stretch. He’s averaging 28.4 points per game, shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three. Even with more shots and a heavier workload, he hasn’t been able to fully carry the offense amid the team’s injury problems.
Without Jalen Williams, who is dealing with an ankle injury, and Chet Holmgren, who is out with a knee injury, the Thunder need more help around their star. The supporting cast has to start producing, or Gilgeous-Alexander will keep being forced into inefficient hero ball.
That puts pressure on Ajay Mitchell to keep rolling after his strong start, on Jared McCain to get out of his shooting slump, and on younger players like Bennett Stirtz and Aday Mara to become more assertive than expected.
For Oklahoma City to survive the absences, it’s going to take more than Shai carrying the load by himself.
In Other News...
Thunder Still Trusts Jared McCain Through A Brutal Shooting Slump
Jared McCain has been fighting through a rough shooting stretch, but the Thunder are not letting a cold hand overshadow the rest of his game. Oklahoma City picked up his fourth-year contract option, a sign of faith in a player whose value has gone well beyond the three-point line lately, even as the shots have stopped falling.
Head coach Mark Daigneault has pointed to McCains broader impact as the reason he keeps earning minutes, and the recent win over the Cleveland Cavaliers offered a reminder of why. McCain finished with seven points, nine rebounds and two assists, the kind of all-around line that helps explain why the Thunder are willing to stay patient while the jumper comes back. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Injuries Are Suddenly Putting Micah Peavy In The Spotlight
Injuries have forced the Thunder to lean on their depth more than they expected, with Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace and Jalen Williams all sidelined and the rotation suddenly looking a lot thinner. For a rookie like Micah Peavy, that kind of opening can change the tone of a season quickly, especially on a team that has made a habit of developing young talent and asking role players to be ready when their number is called.
Peavy has already shown he is paying attention to the veterans around him, and Alex Caruso is the obvious classroom on the floor for a young defender trying to earn trust. The Thunder also added Dalen Terry on a two-year deal, which completed the 15-man roster and gives the club more flexibility to use its two-way players, putting Peavy in a spot where the next stretch could mean a lot more than just practice reps. [Read more 🡒]
Thunders Dalen Terry Move Says Everything About OKCs Injury Problem
The Thunder have dipped into the market for another layer of depth, signing Dalen Terry to help cover for the injuries that have thinned out the roster. The 24-year-old guard-forward brings experience from time with multiple NBA teams, and his arrival gives Oklahoma City another body to work with as it tries to keep its rotation stable through a difficult stretch.
What makes the move notable is how little downside it carries for the Thunder. Terrys deal gives the team flexibility to keep him around if he fits, but it also leaves the front office with an easy exit if the roster gets healthier or a different need emerges. In a season shaped by absences, that kind of low-risk move says plenty about where Oklahoma City stands right now. [Read more 🡒]