The NBA writing staff for Bleacher Report recently published its top 100 NBA players heading into the 2022-23 regular season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder finished with two entrants: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.
The young backcourt duo is entering their second season together and will be the best players on the Thunder given Chet Holmgren will miss the entire season due to a Lisfranc injury.
Let’s take a look at what Bleacher Report had to say about both Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey as the season creeps closer following the Thunder concluding their preseason with a win over the San Antonio Spurs.
No. 91 - Josh Giddey
“Highest Ranking: 50
Lowest Ranking: 154
Giddey could flirt with triple-double averages in his second season as he takes on a larger role for a Thunder team that still revolves around him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. If his 3-point shot improves (26.3% last season), we could see the 6’8″ guard rocket up this list.”
No. 33 - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
“Highest Ranking: 23
Lowest Ranking: 51
Overextension caught up with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander last season. The Thunder had neither the spacing nor secondary ball-handling to streamline his offensive agency, and it showed in his efficiency on the perimeter. He went from a 55.8 effective field-goal percentage on jumpers in 2020-21 to 43.1 in 2021-22.
The context of his role helps explain the plunge — fueled mostly by his 3-point shooting. Among 349 players to average at least 15 minutes per game through a minimum of 15 appearances, only Chris Paul and Luka Dončić saw a larger share of their buckets go unassisted.
It’s a wonder SGA was still able to clear 50% shooting inside the arc. He plays at a variable cadence all his own, and even in regression, it transcends the inherent limitations of what’s around him. If his placement ends up too high, it’s likely because he collects too many DNPOTVWs (“DNP – OKC is thirsty for Victor Wembanyama”).”
