When you hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy and begin the following year 28-5, it's easy to start viewing things through rose-colored glasses. However, the inconsistent play of the OKC Thunder when squaring off against stiffer competition has some fans shifting nervously in their seats.
The drop-off in quality basketball can be attributed to a few factors, but one stands out above the rest.
Lu Dort simply isn't getting the job done.
Widely considered the Thunder's 3&D savant, when excluding G-League players who get their minutes in fourth-quarter blowouts, Dort is currently second to last among all Oklahoma City guards in three-point percentage.
In fact, his 32.1 percent mark ranks sixth to last in the entire league among players who average more than five attempts per game.
On the defensive side of the ball, Dort ranks tenth out of the Thunder's twelve full-time players in rating. His competition for minutes, which includes the likes of Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, Aaron Wiggins, and Alex Caruso, all have a better defensive rating by at least two full points.
Combine this severe lack of production with his recent foul-baiting antics on three-point attempts, and he simply isn't doing enough to justify holding onto his starting role for the long haul.
Lu Dort forcing Thunder to re-think starting lineup
Dort's underwhelming play can't continue if the Thunder want to accomplish their goal of winning their second-straight title.
Thanks to Sam Presti's unheralded eye for talent, though, OKC has options.
Cason Wallace is the first replacement that comes to mind. The third-year guard has already started his fair share of games this year as a result of injuries to numerous members of the club's first five.
He has bested Lu Dort in nearly every statistical category up to this point.
OKC is 9.9 points better than their opponents when he is on the floor. Meanwhile, they are +7.1 with Dort out there. Also cementing his reputation as a reliable three-and-D player, Wallace is shooting 4.8 percent better from deep and has a defensive rating that is a full five points better than his veteran counterpart.
Given the fact that Wallace is a low-usage player and 22 percent of his shots come from the corners, he makes for a perfect fit to consistently play alongside primary ball-handlers like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
Another, albeit less-popular solution, could be to start Isaiah Joe.
During their three-game stint against San Antonio earlier this month, Loud City fans saw SGA get swarmed on nearly every drive, forcing him to kick the ball out to shooters on the perimeter.
Unfortunately for the reigning MVP, his teammates struggled to convert on these attempts, as they shot a combined 28.8 percent.
Joe, however, went 3-for-5 from deep in two of those contests and sat out the third with an injury designation.
While defense may take a slight hit, having a lethal sharpshooter to punish double-teams on Shai drives seems essential in order to compete with some of the better-shooting teams in the league.
Thunder must accept reality and be willing to make adjustments
Whether it's loyalty to a veteran or a chemistry issue, Daigneault has stuck with Dort as a starting guard whenever he has been healthy.
Watching a player fail miserably at his supposed strengths simply isn't a luxury you can afford when every other team in the league has you circled in their calendars.
Watching what Daigneault does with his rotation will be an intriguing storyline to follow down the stretch, especially if Dort's teammates continue to outperform him by wide margins.