OKC Thunder 3 goals: Kenrich Williams can be playoff matchup advantage

A summer filled with celebration nears its end. Only a month remains until the Oklahoma City Thunder start the 2025-26 regular season. The NBA champion has enjoyed its accomplishments, but soon a new marathon will start with them at the top.

Bringing back mostly the same roster, the Thunder are the consensus title favorite. They're viewed as a team that could pull off the rare feat of being a back-to-back champion. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren all signed contract extensions this offseason to keep their title window wide open.

To prepare for the 2025-26 regular season, Thunder Wire will lay out three goals for all 17 players on the roster. OKC has 15 standard players and two two-way players. Let's look at Kenrich Williams and what he could accomplish this upcoming year:

Remain an outside shooter

This has been one of Williams' strengths since he arrived on the Thunder. He shot 38.6% from 3 on 2.5 attempts last season. Funny enough, he's averaged exactly 2.5 outside attempts in three of his last five seasons. You hope he can replicate that number. It's not Curry-esque, but it's enough to make the opposition respect you from the outside.

The Thunder's role player will get most of their outside looks on catch-and-shoot attempts. That's what happens when your best two scorers are drive-heavy players. Expect a lot of kick-out passes to the perimeter. Williams will need to be ready to receive them and swish them in from the outside.

Stay ready

Over the seasons, Williams has seen his playing time gradually decline. As the Thunder have added to their depth, his importance to the rotation has dwindled. He played in 69 games and averaged 16.4 minutes in the regular season this past year. Those seem like decent numbers to aim for if you're a third-string wing who gets situationally played. That said, he must remain ready.

The regular season is a marathon. Injuries happen, as most people know from last year. That means Williams will eventually get his chance to play. The same thought process can be applied to the playoffs. He was matchup-favorable against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Indiana Pacers. If OKC wants to run a small-ball unit, he's the perfect four-five player.

Be healthy for playoffs

Maybe another explanation for Williams' pedestrian use in the regular season is to save his legs for the playoffs. He's dealt with injuries before that have cost him time. The 30-year-old has reached a point where he won't suit up for every regular-season game. But as long as he's ready for the playoffs, that's all you need. There are certain matchups he can be played against.

As mentioned earlier, Williams helped the Thunder out against the Timberwolves and Pacers. They were able to use a small lineup because neither had true beef in their frontcourt. When you pair his outside shooting and all-hustle defense, he could be somebody who plays a solid 10 minutes of winning basketball in a high-intensity playoff game.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: OKC Thunder 3 goals: Kenrich Williams can be playoff matchup advantage