Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault explained why 3-point shooter Isaiah Joe fell out of the team’s playoff rotation.
Joe, one of the top 3-point specialists in the NBA after shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc this season, played in 71 regular-season games for the Thunder, averaging 17.7 minutes per game.
But as the team tightened up its playoff rotation, the veteran sniper fell out of coach Daigneault’s playoff rotation as he opted to play other Thunder players instead. Against the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, which the Thunder lost in seven games to be eliminated from the playoffs, Joe only played in five of the seven games, and his playing time was cut down to just 9.3 minutes per game, essentially half his regular-season playing time.
Mark Daigneault Explains Why Isaiah Joe Fell Out of Thunder’s Playoff Rotation
Speaking to reporters at the Thunder’s year-end press conference, Daigneault explained why Joe fell out of the team’s playoff rotation, admitting it was a hard decision to limit his playoff time at the most important point in the season.
“That’s the worst, to be honest with you. I can’t imagine — it’d be like somebody coming up to me before the game and being like, ‘Hey, you’re not going to go tonight. Dave Bliss (Thunder assistant coach) is going to coach tonight. We think it’s a better fit.’ So I don’t take that lightly. There’s obviously a constraint on minutes (in the playoffs), there’s a constraint on roles, you have to make those decisions. The best way to make those decisions is on merit, to do what’s best for the team in your estimation, but the hard part about that is that it’s subjective, largely, and so, I could be wrong in situations, and that could impact a guy’s role or career,” Daigneault said.
“The best thing I could do is be honest, be as fair as I can, and not take it lightly. I understand they have short windows to play in the NBA, even the guys who have played for a long time. Relative to your life, it’s a short window. Their dream, this is their dream to be here, their dream is in our hands. We take that responsibility with great weight, and that’s the best thing I can say about that.”
Will the Thunder Trade Isaiah Joe?
After Joe played his first two NBA seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Thunder signed him in 2022, and he has been with them for four years, winning the NBA Championship with the team last season.
Joe has one more guaranteed season on his contract at $11.3 million, with a team option for an additional season at an identical $11.3 million salary. While he is certainly worth that kind of money, the Thunder have second-apron issues and luxury tax concerns that may necessitate moving him out to keep some of the team’s other players in the fold.
Although Joe has been a good soldier for the Thunder for four years now, he may very well have played his last game in OKC blue.
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