X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Basketball Breakouts, Busts, And Locks: Oklahoma City Thunder 2023-2024 Outlook

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Daniel Leonard looks at one fantasy basketball breakout, bust, and lock from the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2023-24 NBA season.

The NBA season is right on the horizon, so now we should start analyzing certain teams and what you can expect from their players heading into the season. Today, I’ll be talking about the Oklahoma City Thunder and giving their lock, bust, and breakout fantasy player heading into the 2023-24 season.

The OKC Thunder finished last season with a 40-42 record, which was good enough for 10th in the Western Conference and netted them a play-in berth. They went on to win their first play-in game against the New Orleans Pelicans but narrowly lost to the Timberwolves in the next game. By all accounts, this was a very successful year for OKC; they saw a 16-game increase in wins and also improved in offense and defense. After the loss, they were awarded the 10th overall pick, in which they selected guard Cason Wallace. Other than that move, they really are bringing back the same roster with hopes of improving even more.

I will determine my breakout player based on flashes that I saw last year, and I'm projecting an even bigger jump this upcoming season. I will determine my fantasy bust by projecting that the player will either regress from last season or that his ADP is too high. The way that I will determine my fantasy lock is by projecting that this player will continue his high level of play and should be your number one priority over any other OKC Thunder player in drafts.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Jamie Calandro and Dan Palyo lead the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Fantasy Basketball Breakout: Jalen Williams

Coming off of a very impressive rookie campaign, I feel like Jalen Williams is in a great position to improve even more and have a breakout season. Last year, the 12th overall pick averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on about 52/35/81 shooting splits. As the year progressed, Williams became more comfortable and effective, which led him to finish second in Rookie of the Year voting and a first-team all-rookie nod.

Williams now enters his second season and is looking to build off of his good season. The Thunder really didn't go out of their way to make any splash moves, so Williams is primed to play significant minutes again. The 22-year-old showcased his versatility on offense and defense last year, making him a staple in any lineup. During the offseason, Williams gained some weight to play next to talented big man Chet Holmgren. Williams is now expected to be the team's starting power forward for the season.

He is currently being drafted as the 64th overall player, according to the Yahoo Fantasy rankings. You might say that is a good ranking, but in my opinion, I think he can blow this ranking out of the water next year. He will get the same amount of opportunities as last year, and now he is fully acclimated to the NBA. So, with that understanding, I think it's completely feasible for him to perform even better.

 

Fantasy Basketball Bust: Luguentz Dort

After three stout seasons to start his NBA career, Luguentz Dort was awarded a five-year, $82 million deal in the 2022 offseason. This was a great contract for both sides at the time, but some have argued that he has not lived up to the expectations. Just because I have Dort on my fantasy bust list doesn't mean I think he is bad. I believe Dort is a top-five perimeter defender in the league, but he just won't find as much fantasy success in this upcoming season.

Dort once again will be the starting small forward for OKC and will be tasked with being an effective 3 and D guard. I feel like his scoring and efficiency will take a hit again. The factors causing this are younger players scoring improvements, fewer touches, and his own streaky shooting. Last season, he averaged 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 38/33/77 shooting splits. While these stats do look kind of solid, he was not good when it came to efficiency. He also saw a dip in points, FG%, and FT% compared to the year before, which is not a good sign at all for him.

Dort is currently slated to go around the mid-to-late rounds in most fantasy rankings, and although this seems like a fair draft spot, I think this could possibly be a risk. His declining numbers and bad efficiency won't help him gain more opportunities on offense. Now calling Dort a fantasy bust does not mean I think he will have a bad season. I'm just not as high on him as some people are.

 

Fantasy Basketball Lock: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Last season, SGA put himself on the map and became one of the best fantasy players in the entire league. The young guard proved to be one of the league's most proficient scorers and elite defensive players. He averaged 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists with one block and 1.6 steals per game. He did this with elite efficiency; his splits were 51/34/90.

SGA proved that he was a certified superstar last year; no matter how many double teams were thrown at him, he continued to shine. His mix of elite pace and shot-making made him an unstoppable force, not to mention his elite perimeter defense, which helped the Thunder improve immensely. Coach Mark Daigneault's offensive system allowed him to thrive as a lead ball handler, and with more weapons being added around him, he should continue to shine.

Gilgeous-Alexander is currently being ranked as the fourth overall player, according to the Yahoo Fantasy rankings. This is the correct ranking for him, in my opinion. I expect another year of stout offensive and defensive performances next season. If you have the opportunity to grab SGA early, make sure that you do; he will once again finish in the top five in fantasy.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Lamar Jackson

to be Even Better in 2025?
Tre Harris

Agrees to Terms on Rookie Deal
Justin Herbert

Off to Good Start at Training Camp
Jameson Williams

Earning Rave Reviews from Lions Coaches
Christian Mahogany

Expected to Start for Lions
Zach Allen

an Extension Candidate in Denver?
Zaire Franklin

May Miss Start of Training Camp
Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Returning to Portland
Mason Taylor

to Play "Crucial" Role in Jets' Offense
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
T.J. Watt

Once Again Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB
RJ Harvey

Reaches Agreement on Four-Year Rookie Contract
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Believe Rashee Rice Will Receive Two- to Four-Game Suspension
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jack Kiser

Inks Rookie Deal With Jaguars
Mike Green

Expected to Sign Rookie Deal with Ravens on Thursday
Mike Williams

Retiring After Eight NFL Seasons
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Jordan Addison

Pleads Guilty to Lesser Offense, Gets Fine and Probation
Jordan Mims

Titans Add Backfield Depth With Jordan Mims
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Believed to be Recovered From Shoulder Injury
Najee Harris

Chargers Place Najee Harris on NFI List
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF