The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Alex Caruso get out to a slow start this season, missing plenty of jumpers and looking suboptimal on the offensive end. Is that due to his NBA upbringing?
People are a creature of habits, and it typically takes 21 days to break a habit. Perhaps, it takes 21 games to break habits as well. Habits built up throughout an entire NBA career and at times basketball life.
It looked like a simple one for one swap. Out with the awkward fitting Josh Giddey who was clunky at best on both ends with the constructed Thunder roster and in with a seamless fit for Oklahoma City's play style. A 3-and-D swingman with on-ball juice and ten-fold the shooting the former No. 6 overall pick could provide.
Enter, the Gordon Hayward theory. No, this is no comparing Caruso to Hayward, whose career was dead on arrival in Bricktown and in the end was more productive in clearing salaries for inking Isaiah Hartenstein than production on the court. But rather the idea of planting a veteran into this system. The Thunder have one of those star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a couple more not far behind in rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren who at full strength eat up a chunk of possessions. However, they do it in a different way.
While much younger and inexperience players have caught up to speed in a hurry - most recently, Ajay Mitchell - this is the only style of play they have ever known in their NBA careers. It is rooted in them. This is their NBA reality. Perhaps the uniqueness of the Thunder's style should grant veterans more grace - or at least 21 game - to adjust and find their roles.Cason Wallace broke out of his offensive cold streak with a 3-for-5 game from beyond the arc, to the tune of 12 points. Wallace also had three rebounds, seven assist and a block.
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