The Thunder’s reshaped backcourt now comes with a real choice, and Ajay Mitchell has made the decision harder than it looked a year ago.
After Oklahoma City traded Luguentz Dort to the Atlanta Hawks, the opening at shooting guard suddenly became the kind of spot that forces a team to sort out its priorities. Dort was important to the organization, and he mattered during the championship run in 2024-25, but his offensive efficiency had fallen sharply. With Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell ready for bigger jobs, keeping Dort at his $17.7 million price point for 2026-27 no longer fit.
That leaves the Thunder weighing two young guards with very different strengths.
Wallace brings the kind of perimeter defense that changes possessions. He also showed enough offensive growth in his third NBA season to make a starting case. Mitchell, though, offers something else: more juice on the ball, more downhill pressure, and another layer of creation next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The real question for Oklahoma City is less about who is better overall and more about who fits best in the role the team wants to build. And in Mitchell’s case, the Thunder can afford to think bigger than the starting lineup.
Mitchell is not extension-eligible until next offseason, while Wallace’s extension is expected to be sorted out by the start of the regular season. That makes Mitchell’s third NBA year especially important, because Oklahoma City needs to learn how high his offensive ceiling can climb.
Last season was a major step forward. After a quiet rookie year in which he averaged 6.5 points in 36 games, Mitchell settled into a steadier ball-handling role and made the most of the opportunities that came when the Thunder’s stars were out. In 57 games, he averaged 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 34.7% from three.
He still has work to do, especially as a perimeter shooter, but there’s plenty here for the Thunder to keep betting on. His downhill athleticism and agility fit naturally in Oklahoma City’s movement-heavy offense, and that gives him a real chance to keep leveling up in 2026-27.
Just as important, Mitchell does not need a starting job to matter. He can share the floor with Gilgeous-Alexander in plenty of lineups even if he comes off the bench, and the Thunder have every reason to spread out their offense during the regular season.
Whether Mitchell is playing alongside the starters or leading a bench group with Jared McCain and Jaylin Williams, he has the tools to create his own looks and set up others. Oklahoma City does not need to force him into one specific lane to get value from him.
That flexibility is exactly what makes him so useful. Wherever Mitchell lands in the rotation, the Thunder should still be able to count on growth.
In Other News...
Thunder May Be Fixing Shai's Biggest Long-Term Concern
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has spent much of his rise as the center of Oklahoma Citys offense, but the longer-term question around his game has been less about talent than wear and tear. Heavy usage and a steady diet of isolation possessions can be a burden over time, especially for a player expected to carry a contender year after year, and the Thunder have every reason to think carefully about how they manage that load.
One encouraging sign is that the offense does not have to stay frozen around one creator. Oklahoma City can lean more on Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein to shoulder some of the self-creation and distribution, which would ease the pressure on Gilgeous-Alexander and make the attack harder to predict. If the Thunder can keep widening that support system, they may be addressing one of the biggest concerns that has hovered over their stars future. [Read more 🡒]
Ajay Mitchell Looks Ready To Break Out If One Problem Stops
Ajay Mitchells second NBA season gave the Thunder another intriguing young guard to watch, and he looked more and more comfortable as the year went on. He averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, production that helped push him into fifth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting and put him squarely on the radar as a possible breakout candidate for next season.
The issue, as it often has been for Mitchell, is simply getting enough uninterrupted run to build on it. Injuries have kept trimming his momentum, and the list has included turf toe, a hip contusion and a calf strain that each slowed him at different points. For a player whose ceiling is starting to look real, the Thunders next step with Mitchell may be less about skill development than about finally letting his health hold. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Face Real Cason Wallace Pressure As Extension Deadline Nears
Cason Wallace has put himself in a strong position with the Thunder after a breakout third season and a meaningful playoff role, which is exactly why his next contract has become such a delicate item on Oklahoma Citys docket. The sides are in extension talks ahead of the deadline for players from the 2023 draft class, and the front office is trying to fit Wallace into a payroll picture that already includes several major commitments.
The challenge is finding a number that reflects how far Wallace has come without forcing the Thunder to distort their long-term team-building plans. No agreement is in place yet, and if the two sides do not land one before the deadline, Wallace would be on track to keep moving toward restricted free agency in 2027, leaving this as one of the more consequential decisions hanging over the franchises next few days. [Read more 🡒]