Biggest Questions Entering Training Camp

Outside of the few teams playing in a preseason game outside of North America, who kicked training camp off this week, all other NBA teams will begin camp on Oct. 3, just after Monday’s media day. For the Oklahoma City Thunder, this means less than a week of practice ahead of its preseason opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 9, which will be a highly anticipated matchup.

Over the course of weeks following, players will be fighting for spots on the 15-man roster as well as larger opening night roles. The Thunder plays its regular season opener on Oct. 25 against the Chicago Bulls, so the 2023-24 campaign is less than a month away.

What are the biggest questions for the Thunder entering training camp?

How Quickly Will Roster Cuts Be Made?

For every NBA team, 15-man rosters need to be finalized by 4 p.m. CT on Oct. 23. This means that only 15 players on full-time NBA contracts can make the team, which is currently a number Oklahoma City is over with 19 of those deals.

As such, roster cuts or trades have to be incoming for the Thunder. With that in mind, players will get the chance to prove themselves both in a practice and game setting. However, that doesn’t mean OKC will wait until the deadline to make these roster decisions, they could come much earlier.

Who Will Make The Team?

Instead of thinking about who will make this roster, it’s almost easier to consider who won’t. There’s a handful of players who appear to be the most expendable at this point, but the four players that specifically will be waived or traded is certainly not solidified or pre-determined. However, keep an eye on these six players:

• Jack White
• Victor Oladipo
• Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
• Aaron Wiggins
• Davis Bertans
• Tre Mann

The reality is that competition is something this organization values and players have to earn their respective sports. With how many talented players are on this roster, there will be some players that are waived that will have a real chance of thriving in a new situation.

How Quickly Can Vasilije Micic Integrate?

One of the ways the Thunder can take a step forward this season is by elevating the play of its bench and proving to have a deep roster. There were plenty of pieces added to the team during the offseason — whether it be via draft or trade — but the most mysterious of any is Vasilije Micic.

A 29-year-old rookie, he’s been one of the best players in the world outside of the NBA for quite some time now, but has decided to take his talents to the United States. He’s an extremely smart and experienced player that should have no problem playing in crunch time or as the leader of the second unit.

With deep range and ridiculous vision, he really could make a huge impact early in the season. The hope is that he gets plenty of reps during training camp and in preseason action to get acquainted to the NBA game and his new teammates.

While the majority of training camp isn’t available to the public and preseason games don’t count towards the standings, this is an extremely important time of the year for NBA franchises. Major decisions are made and teams really begin to build chemistry in hopes of getting off to a hot start early in the season.