What would an Isaiah Joe extension mean for the OKC Thunder?

Oklahoma City’s management has shaped the current team since severing ties Chris Paul and entering a rebuild after the bubble season. This year the roster formation came together and the Thunder experienced tremendous success. From now on, it’s about filling in the gaps and completing the lineups – not about trading for another star, which has been a popular solution for quite some time.

The Thunder’s job is to build a championship team around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and watch the dominoes unfold. That means finding players who fit well next to Gilgeous-Alexander and maximizing his time on the floor. The clearest example of this is who is currently on the roster Isaiah Joe.

When Joe and Gilgeous-Alexander shared the court, Oklahoma City was at its best. For any running mate in the backcourt, the stats always favor the two-man duo of Joe and SGA. He was able to open up driving lanes in a big way and mastered the high pick-and-pop. When defenders chased Joe, Gilgeous-Alexander had an edge on the bucket. If defenders helped Gilgeous-Alexander too much, it was an automatic kickout for a triple. The two developed strong chemistry throughout the season, and it looks like there’s even more to unpack in the future.

This summer, Oklahoma City has the opportunity to expand one of its core players in Joe, and it would be a smart investment. He has improved each season in the NBA and added more to his game than just three-point shooting. This season, Joe averaged 8.2 points and 2.3 rebounds off the bench, shooting 45.8% from the floor and 41.6% from 3-point range. He was the perfect low-volume sniper for the Thunder, and with confidence and experience he could shoot even more.

The Thunder can extend him outright or decline his team option and extend him to a new contract. Since he can make more money with the latter option, this expansion will likely happen that way. Even if the price tag is a bit high, it’s a promising investment for the Thunder.

At best, the team plugs in a core piece that continually improves in the future. He can continue to expand his game beyond shooting triples as he develops into one of the best long-distance snipers in the NBA. Worst case scenario, the team has a valuable contract to trade in future deals. At this point, Lu Dort’s contract is the only significant asset Oklahoma City can use to make salaries work in a future trade.

Joe was one of Oklahoma City’s top diamonds in the rough and the team has a chance to reward his strong play this season. Shooting more than 40% from long range and still being able to influence the game in other ways is a luxury in this league. Joe’s chemistry with Gilgeous-Alexander is still in the early stages and the results are promising. This is a great opportunity for continuity within Oklahoma City’s roster.

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