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No SGA, No Problem: OKC Roster Depth is a Flex

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Imagine you’re an NBA team facing the Oklahoma City Thunder. You get some good hopes with some of its best defenders out. You even get excited to know that the reigning MVP is sitting the game out. Yet the result remains the same — a blowout win for the Thunder. OKC’s roster depth is one of the reasons for their historic pace right now. Even without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they pack a serious punch.

At this rate, it’s just hard to find a way to beat OKC. The Thunder are seriously gunning for a repeat championship, and some even say they can eclipse the 70-win mark. Both remain to be seen; it’s no secret that they are gaining steam towards that end.

No SGA, No Problem: OKC Roster Depth is a Flex

With SGA missing his first game, the defending champs had to make adjustments. They easily crushed the Utah Jazz in a 131-101 win. It showcases how bigger untapped potential there is in OKC, and just how their roster depth is enough to give them a win.

J-Dub and Chet are Capable Leaders

SGA is the MVP for a reason. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren stand with a combined 14-13 record without the reigning MVP. With Shai sitting out for the first time, the two rising stars stepped up well and showed up to lead OKC for a big win.

Williams finished with 25 points, eight steals, three boards, and two steals.  In addition, the star was great at creating plays and finding open looks for his teammates, proving his worth as a floor general as well. Despite having a 9-8 record without SGA, it does seem that Williams is now more capable of leading the way for OKC to win.

Similarly, Holmgren was phenomenal, and he proved to be a dynamic center now more than ever. For instance, he dropped a casual 25 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. However, the most impressive part of this performance was that he shot 12/15 from the field. Not only that, but he controlled the pacing on both ends of the floor. For instance, he was dunking a lot of baskets while contesting and preventing easy buckets on the other end.

Roster Depth Shines Bright

Oklahoma City Thunder center Branden Carlson (15) is interviewed after the game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center.
Dec 7, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Branden Carlson (15) is interviewed after the game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Aside from the star duo, the Thunder bench has also enjoyed similar sparks of growth in their games. We have seen the reserves rise up from time to time, with OKC always having a bench player scoring double figures in all of their games. We’ve consistently seen Ajay Mitchell fuel the bench with his elite scoring, resulting in his rising stocks in the 6MOTY race.

For this game against the Jazz, however, it was Branden Carlson and Ousmane Dieng who stole the show. Carlson is a two-way player and thus was highly energized to play whatever minutes he got. In 24 minutes of action, Carlson impressed with 13 points, six rebounds, and a block. If you’re not satisfied, he collected 11 points all in the first three minutes of his playing time. In a sense, it satisfies why the Thunder chose to sign him again this offseason.

But perhaps the most surprising here is Dieng’s sudden good game. The 22-year-old was one of the rumored trade pieces that the Thunder can consider, but he turned some heads in the win against Utah. Dieng finished with 14 points, three assists, and two boards, all while drilling four of his five attempts from deep.

What’s impressive about this is that they aren’t the regular bench players for OKC. Carlson and Dieng may even be like the 12th and 13th man for the team when at full strength. To sum it up, there’s just so much talent in Oklahoma City to look out for. You’re yet to see the big games from Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, or even Alex Caruso.

What Does This Mean for the Thunder?

Being able to play a full game without SGA negates a chance for their main star to suffer major injuries. He is already sitting out 11 of 23 fourth quarters this season, so the rest of the team has a chance to get some groove while he sits out the rest of the game. We all know that the Thunder are gearing up for a dynasty much like the Golden State Warriors back then, so you’d expect them to invest in their young talent and improve them when they have the chance.

With the Thunder also poised to get some lottery picks in the coming Draft thanks to Sam Presti’s genius, it spells scary hours for the rest of the league. What a time it is to be a fan of Oklahoma City’s premier basketball team. This OKC roster depth is just unfair for the rest of the league.

The post No SGA, No Problem: OKC Roster Depth is a Flex appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.