Earlier this month, the Oklahoma City Thunder kicked off training camp, but also its five-game preseason slate. Not even halfway through that set of games, some of the biggest questions surrounding the team are already beginning to be answered.

Two games into the preseason campaign, the Thunder has looked like a team ready to take another step forward this season. Although it’s a small sample size, Oklahoma City has shown improvement and the potential to fill the voids that presented roadblocks last season.

What have we learned about the Thunder during the first week of preseason action?

Jalen Williams’ Potential Leap

During the final few months of the 2022-23 season, Jalen Williams was arguably the best rookie in the entire NBA. The game started to come more natural to the skilled wing and his production impacted winning heavily.

Not only was Williams clearly too good to be on the court at NBA Summer League back in July, but he’s also been a standout during preseason play. In limited action, he’s played essentially every single position on the floor and has thrived on both ends. Although teams will have more film on Williams this season and sophomore slumps are real, it appears he may reach borderline All-Star status within the next calendar year.

Chet Holmgren’s Fit

On the surface, Chet Holmgren is the missing piece for Oklahoma City. Last season, defensive rebounding, floor spacing and height were three parts of the game that held the Thunder back. Although he’s just a rookie, Holmgren should be able to immediately help fill each of those voids.

During preseason play, he’s been spectacular. While this isn’t sustainable, he’s averaging roughly a point per minute played through two games and has been a legitimate defensive stopper. Holmgren looks to fit perfectly with this young team and will elevate its ceiling in a big way.

First Look at Starting 5

Speaking of Holmgren, he’s the newest member of the starting lineup. Since Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed the preseason opener, we didn’t get a first look at the regular season starting five until Oklahoma City’s second contest. While the Thunder played a Detroit Pistons team without two starters, this opening group looked unstoppable offensively. The chemistry is already there and it’s a unit that can score effectively from all three levels.

The starting five of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren is young, but potentially one of the most complete in the entire league. Four of these five played significant minutes as starters last season, so Holmgren getting integrated will be important.

Vasilije Micic’s Adjustment

It hasn’t been talked about enough nationally, but OKC bringing Vasilije Micic onto the roster during the offseason is a move that could end up being one of the most impactful of any across the league. The 29-year-old is a proven veteran overseas, but hadn’t played a single minute of NBA basketball until Thursday night.

The first few minutes of his NBA preseason debut may have been less than ideal, but as the game went on he got much more comfortable. What this tells us directionally is that he may struggle early in his rookie season, but ultimately should be one of the most important reserves on the roster by the turn of the calendar year. The style of play in the United States is much different, so Micic will need time to adapt.

Ousmane Dieng’s Two-Game Sample

After being selected No. 11 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Ousmane Dieng was labeled as a project by many, but also the type of prospect that could quickly become a contributor off the bench. In his second season, that’s shaping up to be the case. At 6-foot-11 with perimeter skills, it’s all about staying healthy and getting the opportunity.

Preseason rotations should be taken with a grain of salt, but Dieng’s minutes have been a major storyline. He led the Thunder in minutes played during the preseason opener, then earned the most minutes of any bench player in the team’s second outing. Again, this doesn’t mean he will be in the top six of the rotation during the regular season, but it might give some clarity as to whether or not he’ll be in the nightly lineup.

Over the next week, the final three preseason games will continue to give clarity on what this team could look like early in the 2023-24 campaign. On Oct. 25, Oklahoma City will begin its season in Chicago against the Bulls as wins and losses begin to truly matter.