Oklahoma City won’t be at full strength on opening night, and it needs one role player to step up.
Over the course of the 2024-25 season, the Thunder were rarely at full strength in the regular season. With Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso and other key players missing sizeable stretches throughout the year, Oklahoma City’s reserves are no strangers to stepping up.
While the Thunder were able to find a bit of injury luck in the postseason and remain healthy throughout their title run, they’ll be starting this season in a spot that resembles the regular season. With Nikola Topic and Kenrich Williams set to miss opening night, and the statuses of Jalen Williams, Isaiah Joe and Ajay Mitchell all up in the air, the Thunder will be rather thin for ring night.
While Oklahoma City should still have four of its usual starters on the floor and some key role players, a lack of ball-handling and playmaking could be an issue. While the Thunder are hoping Caruso or Cason Wallace can take some of the playmaking load off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Aaron Wiggins might be the key to the Thunder’s success to open the year.
Jun 16, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) celibates making a three point basket against the Indiana Pacers during the second quarter in game five of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
After the man who saved basketball helped the Thunder to an NBA title, he will again have to play a critical role this season. With such few players a lock for opening night, Wiggins might be the second-most reliable creator available for the Thunder when the season tips off and potentially beyond.
Wiggins didn’t exactly have an encouraging finish to preseason action, shooting a combined 6-of-31 from the floor across his final three contests. Still, the preseason doesn’t necessarily mean much for the regular season.
After averaging 12 points a night last season, Wiggins might need to raise his scoring a bit to begin the year, particularly if Jalen Williams misses any significant time. That could be as simple as Wiggins picking up where he left off in the regular season.
In his final 30 games of the regular season, Wiggins averaged 16.2 points while shooting 49.2% from the field and 40.8% from three on nearly six attempts a game. That type of performance from him in the opening weeks might be what Oklahoma City truly needs from him to have another solid start to the season.
With so much up in the air about who the Thunder might have available to begin the regular season, getting some big contributions from Wiggins could help solve some of Oklahoma City’s potential problems.
