The Thunder had a Sixth Man of the Year in 2012, and next season they could have another.
Since Dennis Schroder was traded in 2020, finding the right sixth-man fit has been a challenge. But as Isaiah Joe enters his third season in Oklahoma City, he may have found his perfect fit.
Last season, Joe was a sharpshooter for the No. 1 team in the West. He averaged 8.2 points and shot 45.8 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from three-point range, both personal bests.
While it may seem counterintuitive to award an award for exceptional bench play, Oklahoma City’s uncertainty over its starting lineup could be a perfect fit for Joe. After starting the final two playoff games, Joe appears to be in line for a few spot starts throughout the season.
While many former winners have barely started, Naz Reid made the most of his 14 starts in his championship run last season. Those starts accounted for seven of Reid’s 13 most productive games, while averaging 5.1 more points than his substitute performances.
The Thunder’s offseason additions could also help Joe, as he’ll be able to better focus on what he does best. With Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein on the team, the Thunder could be able to create more transition opportunities. With both playing their fair share with the second unit, Joe could rack up a few more high-quality shots each game thanks to Caruso’s steals or Hartenstein’s outings.
While quantity is a big factor in the Sixth Man vote, it might not matter as much if Joe can be the best backup on a team competing for 60 wins. Given that Joe has made 75 percent of his three-point shots since joining the Thunder, a few big swings while increasing his scoring average are well within his reach.
In October and November of last season, Joe averaged 10.9 points and shot 46.3 percent from three-point range. While he slowed down after his strong start to the season, he showed that he is more than capable of succeeding with a higher volume of shooting. If he can keep that up next year, he could win the John Havlicek Trophy.
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