Oklahoma City has had a successful start to the new season, and its backup big man has played a clear role.
The Thunder have already been tested a couple of times to begin the season, winning matchups against the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets. Several players in that span have been in the spotlight for the Thunder, but even those who haven’t stood out as much are still making an impact.
Jaylin Williams falls into that category for the Thunder, having played 32 minutes across Oklahoma City’s first two games. Moving into a bit of a different role with Aday Mara and eventually Thomas Sorber entering the fold, Williams has been able to adjust and play to his strengths thus far.
With eight points, 11 rebounds and four assists through two games, Williams has already displayed how he can make an impact this season. With a deeper frontcourt rotation this season, minutes could be a bit tougher to come by, but Williams has set a foundation for a successful season through two games.
Rebounding and playmaking down low will continue to be areas where he can set himself apart from some of the others in the rotation. While he’s had a couple of rough shooting nights thus far, it’s not hard to imagine the kind of boost he’ll give Oklahoma City when his 2-of-9 mark from 3-point range begins to look more like his 38.7% mark from his first four seasons.
Likely having to play more at the four this season, Williams is showcasing that he can be effective playing a bit smaller than he has for most of his career. Having played alongside Chet Holmgren in double-big lineups over the past few years, Williams has become accustomed to not being the lone big on the floor. While he hasn’t yet shared the floor with Isaiah Hartenstein, some small stints playing alongside Mara could be a glimpse of the rest of the season.
Coming into the year, there were some questions about how Williams might handle having to play more alongside other centers. With the majority of his minutes thus far coming as one of two bigs on the floor, he’s already begun to put those doubts to rest.
Obviously, it’s a long season, and Williams will have to continue to evolve and adjust, but these first two games should give the Thunder some optimism that their backup big is ready for whatever is thrown his way.
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