The summer of Sam Presti never truly had a chance to fizzle out.

Live TV debate shows resuscitated Thunder buzz with near daily talks of championship odds. Questions of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP odds, or of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein’s potential impact, kept Twitter aflame.

Perhaps nothing kept the Thunder’s name alive like the discussion that’s been on loop since Presti acquired Hartenstein: Who will start, and what are the lineup possibilities for Oklahoma City this season?

Hartenstein. Caruso. Hartenstein and Caruso. Neither? All the configurations have come to an exhausting boiling point that can only be solved by the season.

In the spirit of the season’s approach, The Oklahoman has chosen to continue the madness by listing possible lineups for the upcoming Thunder season:

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Predictable OKC Thunder 2024-25 starting lineups

Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort, Caruso, Jalen Williams, Holmgren

The template. The bread and butter. The (possible) death lineup. After a season with a top-five offense and defense, swapping Caruso for Josh Giddey feels like the most obvious lineup to deploy.

Chet Holmgren, tired jokes about his frame aside, is still most valuable as a center until proven otherwise. His shooting ability and rim protection make him a problem for plenty of big men. Playing alongside four versatile ball handlers only furthers the nightmares for opposing teams.

Mark Daigneault is hardly predictable. Even if this might be the default starting lineup, it surely won’t be the only. Just consider this a relatively safe bet for a team that traditionally doesn’t have many.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort, Jalen Williams, Holmgren, Hartenstein

The alternate, and preferred reality for the Holmgren-isn’t-a-center truthers. Not an unlikely reality, though.

Given the Thunder’s penchant for data, a healthy sample of minutes with Hartenstein and Holmgren seems like a given. OKC opted for double-big lineups with Jaylin Williams in its playoff run. Hartenstein, a notable screener, defender and passer, is expected to make those lineups more manageable.

On the flip side, Holmgren gets to move away from the ball without so frequently being depended on as a pick-and-roll screener, and can play off another legitimate center.

Not to mention the pair’s defensive capabilities.

There are wrinkles, there are questions. Based on matchups and curiosity alone, this lineup should start its share of games.

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Wild card OKC 2024-25 starting lineup

SGA, Joe, Dort, Jalen Williams, Holmgren

Hear me out. Of all the multiversal realities, plenty of which have fans clashing over Caruso versus Hartenstein, is there not a reality that features a starting lineup without either?

It wouldn’t be a mainstay. But with all that the Thunder tends to be curious about, is it not possible for OKC to want data on both of its new additions as part of the second unit?

For what it’s worth, in 1,087 minutes together, SGA and Isaiah Joe had a 12.72 net rating. No one benefits from the gravity of Gilgeous-Alexander’s mastery quite like Joe, one of the league’s best spot-up shooters.

This five-man lineup, in 101 minutes, had a 14.73 net rating.

Joe is likely better served to aid the second unit and contribute to SGA-led lineups later in the game. Caruso and Hartenstein are each formidable, offering to patch up last season’s issues. But this lineup certainly isn’t broken as is.

More: How OKC Thunder will maximize Isaiah Hartenstein and more questions about 2024-25 offense

OKC Thunder 2024-25 non-starter lineups

Jalen Williams, Joe, Wallace, Wiggins, Hartenstein

There’s no right place to start with these. There are too many interchangeable pieces, different values and different in-season goals with certain lineups. But if there’s a blurry baseline for the second group, this feels like it.

Jalen Williams leading the offense. Cason Wallace doing 3-and-D things with room to lean into some secondary playmaking. Isaiah Joe shooting off Hartenstein’s dribble handoffs. Wiggins fitting into whatever space remains.

This lineup scratches too many parts of the brain, and helps the Thunder achieve some of its individual goals.

Jalen Williams, Wallace, Caruso, Wiggins, Hartenstein or Jalen Williams, Joe, Wallace, Caruso, Holmgren

Nothing to see here, just more interchangeable variations of Jalen Williams-led subunits. Feel free to slot in Ousmane Dieng alongside Holmgren for either Wiggins or Caruso.

Wallace, Joe, Caruso, Wiggins (Jones?), Holmgren

Presti cited a desire to entrust Wallace and Holmgren with playmaking responsibilities. It’s a big leap, but this would certainly leave Wallace responsible. The early season minutes of this lineup could act like Summer League, giving Wallace on-ball reps so that he can slip into lineups as a secondary playmaker easier.

Also, while there’s a lot to love about Wiggins, Dillon Jones could easily be in his place here in the early season. He’s had more experience running an offense, and as he said earlier in the summer, “Being the guy helped me know what a guy would need from me.”

Jones, coupled with Caruso, should give Wallace some emergency cushion as a ball handler. Still, it’s a risky lineup.

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One more multiversal lineup

SGA, Wallace, Dort, Caruso, Holmgren

Your immediate thought was that three revered perimeter defenders of similar 3-and-D molds was too redundant to be possible? Daigneault’s first thought was what that lineup’s defensive rating might be.

With as curious as the Thunder is, don’t shun the lineup that feels farfetched. OKC aimed for versatility. For interchangeable players who all carried required traits. Parts of the drive-and-kick machine.

So why not toss all three of Wallace, Dort and Caruso out at least once? Caruso has run some pick-and-rolls in his day. Wallace has playmaking aspirations. The two, combined with Dort, should give offenses fits.

The right game would have to call for it, considering you probably need at least one of the three in every available lineup. Never say never.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder starting lineup possibilities for 2024-25 NBA season