Are Alex Caruso's Preseason Starts a Sign for Regular Season?

Oklahoma City has been a team to watch throughout the preseason, and one of its most interesting wrinkles has flown under the radar. 

On Tuesday night, the Thunder finally got into the win column in preseason play, beating the Indiana Pacers in overtime. While the final moments largely featured players not on the roster, the Thunder began the game with some of their most important pieces on the floor. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein and Cason Wallace all were on the floor at tipoff, which seems likely to happen anytime those four are healthy. While Chet Holmgren will typically fill that final spot, his absence made for an interesting move from Mark Daigneault.

For the second time this preseason, Alex Caruso started for Oklahoma City. With the Thunder sending out a few of their wings in the offseason, Caruso is one of the only players left on the team who plays that spot naturally.

Perhaps Daigneault’s decision to put Caruso in the first five was only a preseason occurrence, but it could always be a sign of things to come. Throughout his first two seasons in Oklahoma City, Caruso has seldom started, coming off the bench in all but three games and never starting last season. 

Yet, Caruso has been the Thunder’s fifth starter each time he’s suited up in the preseason. Of course, that may just be the case because the Thunder are aware he won’t be playing big minutes, sitting out the second half in each contest. 

While Caruso almost certainly won’t be in the starting five when the Thunder are at full strength, his preseason inclusion as a starter makes it seem plausible that he’ll be among Daigneault’s go-to options when a regular starter misses a game. Although he hasn’t been in that discussion over the past couple of years, Caruso’s role may differ in that aspect, given the team’s departures. 

Without Lu Dort, Wallace will likely move into the starting lineup permanently after accounting for 58 starts as a fill-in last season. Add in the 30 combined starts from Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, and there may simply be nights where Caruso is too obvious a choice to leave on the bench at tipoff. 

It remains to be seen whether Caruso will really be the first fill-in choice for Daigneault when the regular season begins, but the preseason has at least alluded to the veteran starting much more for Oklahoma City in 2026-27.