Aday Mara’s summer has already hinted at what the Oklahoma City Thunder think they drafted, but the real payoff may not come until the regular season starts.
The Thunder haven’t exactly rolled through Summer League as a team, yet there have been enough encouraging individual flashes to keep the franchise looking ahead. Bennett Stirtz has settled in and shown he can make shots when the moment calls for it, but Mara looks like the player whose role could matter most once the games count. Against Golden State, he put together a strong all-around showing with 10 points and nine rebounds.
That production may only be the start. Mara is expected to see a healthy workload in the regular season, likely as Oklahoma City’s second-team center, and that should open the door to more scoring chances.
The difference, though, won’t just be minutes. It will be the people around him.
So far in Summer League, Oklahoma City’s lack of experience has made it tough for anyone to consistently create easy looks for Mara. He has even led the Thunder in assists in their most recent game against the Warriors, which says plenty about how much he has had to do for himself.
Once the roster is filled out with real NBA playmakers, that should change. Mara figures to work with Isaiah Hartenstein, and he should also benefit from playing alongside Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso and others who can ease the burden and help get him into scoring position.
That combination could matter in a big way for Oklahoma City. At 7-foot-3, Mara has the size to overwhelm opposing reserves, and he could also become another option in matchups with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
There are still a couple of Summer League games left for Mara, but the bigger test is coming soon enough. What he has shown so far has backed up Oklahoma City’s decision to take him at No. 12, and with better creators around him, he may end up looking even more dangerous than the Thunder first expected.
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Thunder Fans Should Keep An Eye On This Undrafted Big
The Thunders trip through Las Vegas has started slowly, with Oklahoma City dropping its first two Summer League games, but not every part of the week has been a setback. One of the more encouraging developments has been the play of rookie Christoph Tilly, an undrafted big who has looked comfortable in the mix and given the front office something to monitor beyond the final score.
Tilly has put together a steady five-game stretch, averaging 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while showing enough feel to suggest there may be more here than a typical camp body. With the Thunders roster depth making NBA minutes a tough climb, the more realistic path may be a spot with the OKC Blue, where a developmental role could keep him in the organization and give him a chance to keep building. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Caruso Just Dropped A Big Hint About OKCs Depth
The Thunders frontcourt picture has already shifted once this offseason, with Aday Mara arriving as the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA draft and Isaiah Hartenstein back in the fold after his free-agent return. Add in the retention of key veterans like Kenrich Williams, and Oklahoma City looks built to keep the same kind of lineup flexibility that has become a calling card of the roster.
Alex Caruso sees that depth as more than just a nice luxury. He pointed to the teams versatility across guards, wings and bigs, with a particular emphasis on how many options Oklahoma City now has at center, and he framed it as the kind of strength that can help a contender absorb change while still playing its style. After last seasons run ended in the Western Conference Finals, that balance of continuity and new pieces feels especially important heading into 2026-27. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Just Made Chets Thunder Future Feel A Lot More Complicated
Victor Wembanyamas new max extension in San Antonio does more than lock up one of the leagues most singular talents. It also puts a sharper spotlight on Chet Holmgrens place in Oklahoma City, because the Thunder are already paying Holmgren like a franchise pillar and expecting him to grow into the kind of two-way force that can anchor a contender. The comparison is unavoidable now, especially with Holmgren still working through the rough edges of defending true centers.
For the Thunder, the issue is not just what Holmgren is today, but what he has to become to justify that level of investment alongside the rest of a rising roster. Oklahoma City has built its identity on flexibility, length and lineup versatility, yet Holmgrens struggles in certain matchups have already forced the team into some awkward defensive choices. If Wembanyama keeps separating himself while carrying a similar price tag, the long-term math around Holmgren could get a lot harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]