si
With so many veterans gone next season, the Thunder will need another to return.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to look very different next season, as they have changed their roster through the draft and trades.
This includes saying goodbye to three players who helped the Thunder win their first championship in Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe.
However, they also added two draft picks to their main roster in Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz.
With this roster turnover, there are a lot of holes that will need to be filled, and it would be best if a more experienced player could fill the roles rather than a rookie who still has to get a feel for the league.
Luckily, one star OKC wing could fill a lot of the new holes; he just has to stay healthy.
Jalen Williams is a key component of this Oklahoma City roster, and he was greatly missed for a majority of the season last year.
Williams played in only 33 games in the regular season due to both wrist and hamstring injuries, and then was injured again in the Western Conference Finals.
However, Oklahoma City now needs him to come back better than ever now that more of its experienced players are gone.
Williams is able to fill a majority of the roles now needed, starting with Dorts.
Williams is another Thunder player who takes pride in his defense, and his 6-foot-5 build is a nightmare for any guard he matches up with.
With him healthy, he would likely be matched up with the opponent's best-scoring player and would thrive at it just like he has in the past.
His scoring and playmaking are also huge factors that Oklahoma City would like back in its arsenal.
During his All-NBA season, Williams averaged 21.6 points per game and added 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
His skills would not only benefit himself and the Thunder greatly, but they would take pressure off of other OKC players to allow them to have more open looks.
All three players that the Thunder parted ways with this offseason will be missed dearly, but the team has to look to the future.
OKC has to figure out a way to not lose a beat as it tries to fill these roles, and Jalen Williams, healthy once again, could be the easiest solution to this problem.