The 2023-24 Oklahoma City Thunder season ended in a Round 2 exit against the Dallas Mavericks. Despite the heartbreaking finish, it was a successful season for them.
The Thunder made history as the youngest first seed and won a playoff series as the youngest squad in league history. After falling a win shy in the playoffs last season, OKC has smashed open a championship window.
Now that the season is in the books, let’s go back and evaluate all 22 players who suited up for the Thunder this past season. Grades will be handed out to every player in terms of what their expectations were heading into the season and how they lived up to them.
The sixth player in this installment is Cason Wallace. The 20-year-old had a successful rookie campaign. He was a key rotation piece for the Thunder and served as a pseudo-starter. The outside shot and defense proved to be legitimate. 2023-24 statistics:
6.8 points
2.3 rebounds
1.5 assists
49.1% shooting
41.9% 3-point shooting
78.4% free-throw shooting Advanced stats:
True-shooting percentage: 61.2%
Usage rate: 12.9%
Win shares: 4
VORP: 0.9
3-point attempt rate: 52.9% Significant Percentile Finishes:
Transition scorer: 79.9 percentile
P&R ball-handler: 56.8 percentile
P&R roller: 58.4 percentile
Cutter: 72.9 percentile Contract:
2024-25: $5.6 million
2025-26: $5.8 million (team option)
2026-27: $7.4 million (team option) Thoughts:
Entering the season with no established role, Wallace took his rookie season by the reins and finished the year as one of the Thunder’s more reliable bench players. Holmgren received all the headlines, but Wallace’s stellar rookie season that saw him play the full 82 games was awarded with All-Rookie Second Team honors.
At 20 years old, Wallace played beyond his years and was a quality rotation piece for a title contender. He served as the unofficial sixth starter when one of the traditional starters was out. He fit the 3-and-D archetype well for the Thunder, being a seamless fit with the starters or second unit. Over half of his shots came from outside and 97% of his 3-pointers resulted in assists.
Wallace was one of the Thunder’s best kick-out options and provided valuable spacing to their 5-out offense headlined by Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams. He was also an excellent off-ball mover and had the spatial awareness to make the proper cuts. He was also one of OKC’s better screeners in its inverted pick-and-roll offense.
Wallace wasn’t just simply a spacer either. He showed glimpses of elite athleticism when he jumped out for a massive dunk in clear lanes to the basket. The 6-foot-4 guard could hop off the floor.
On defense, Wallace was arguably OKC’s second-best perimeter defender behind Dort. He had the same tenacity to fight over screens and stick to his matchup like glue. That proved valuable in the playoffs when the 20-year-old helped limit Kyrie Irving to his worst career playoff series. The Thunder have one of the best two-headed POA defenders in the league thanks to those two players.
Overall, it was an awesome rookie campaign for Wallace. He blew out any preseason expectations out of the water. The 20-year-old never needed a G League assignment and was uncharacteristically consistent for OKC despite his youth. Moving Forward:
On the Thunder, Wallace will likely continue to serve in his 3-and-D role. He’ll likely see an uptick in shot volume due to his progression but most of his shots next season should be from beyond the arc. 29% of his outside shots were from the corner spots, which ranked in the 95th percentile. Expect that frequency to continue next season.
As Wallace gains additional offensive responsibilities, expect him to get a chance to show off his playmaking abilities. He didn’t do this in his rookie season, but he mentioned in his exit interview he’s going to focus on improving as a ball-handler this offseason.
He won’t suddenly be asked to bring the ball up, but the Thunder’s offense requires versatility and Wallace can see himself racking up more assists in future seasons because of this philosophy. The jumper is also fluid enough to add a mid-range shot to his arsenal. He also is springy enough to become more of a driver.
The defense should continue to be his bread and butter. Wallace is one of the Thunder’s better screen navigators and that’ll improve as he bulks up his frame. His technique is sound and mature beyond his years on the court. The 20-year-old is on an exciting trajectory as a high-end two-way starter for the foreseeable future.
