The Thunder will open preseason tonight in Tulsa without eight players, as Oklahoma City begins a new look against the Pelicans at BOK Center.
That group includes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso, who are all apparently resting with another game set for tomorrow in Oklahoma City. Mark Daigneault said the preseason schedule was built that way on purpose, and it means the Thunder won’t have their top-minute players available for every game.
“We make our own preseason schedule,” Daigneault said at Sunday’s practice. “So the back-to-backs are actually by design.
We’re not going to play everybody in every game. At least the high-minute rotation guys.
We will play some guys five games, but the high-minute guys don't play in every game,”
Oklahoma City’s rotation is going to look different after a busy offseason, even if the core still remains mostly in place. The Thunder have lost players such as Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe to Eastern Conference teams, and now they’re expected to look toward recent draft picks to help replace that production.
That next wave includes Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz, all of whom are part of the Thunder’s effort to fill in the gaps on shooting, defense and other areas.
Topic and Sorber are also dealing with their own injury situations. Neither was a full participant in training camp, with Topic recovering from back surgery in early June and Sorber having knee surgery in early July.
Topic is entering Year 3, but has appeared in only 10 NBA games because of injuries and other health issues. Sorber missed his initial season because of a knee injury.
The Pelicans’ injury situation has not been fully revealed yet. New Orleans still features Zion Williamson, along with Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, plus young players Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen and Benedict Mathurin.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT tonight in Tulsa.
In Other News...
Pelicans Debut Under Jahmal Mosley Brought Promise And Two Clear Concerns
Jahmal Mosleys first look at the Pelicans came with enough encouraging signs to make the preseason opener feel worthwhile, even in a game that was more about process than result. New Orleans knocked off Oklahoma City 116-110, and the mix of starters and bench players gave the new staff a chance to see how the pieces fit, with the reserve group helping fuel a pivotal run that shifted the games tone.
Still, the film likely will not be all flattering. The Pelicans had visible defensive lapses at times and some familiar problems at the free throw line, two areas that can quietly shape games once the games start counting. On the brighter side, Zion Williamson even took and made a few three-pointers, a small but notable sign of how the offense may continue to stretch under this setup while the team sorts out the rough edges. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Bench Just Raised An Early Concern About The Starters
One preseason game is hardly a verdict, but it was easy to see why the Pelicans left with an early question mark on the starting group. The opening unit struggled to establish rhythm, while the second unit came in with better pace and crisper ball movement, giving New Orleans a much cleaner look on both ends.
The encouraging part is that the bench showed real signs of depth, with several reserve players making a case for larger roles. The tougher part is sorting out whether the starters were simply out of sync for one night or if the team will need more consistent production from that group once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Got An Early Look At One Depth Battle That Matters
The preseason meeting with Oklahoma City gave the Pelicans a useful early glimpse at how some of the rosters younger pieces might fit into the broader picture. In a 116-110 win, New Orleans got to watch a Thunder group packed with rookies and other young players handle a bigger workload than usual, which is exactly the sort of setting teams use to sort through depth questions before the games start to count.
Jaron Pierre Jr. was part of that look for New Orleans, coming off the bench and turning in a modest showing in limited minutes. For a Pelicans team trying to identify who can help beyond the established rotation, these early exhibitions matter less for the final score than for the competition they reveal, and this one offered a first pass at a depth battle that could carry real weight later on. [Read more 🡒]