Ajay Mitchell already looked like a breakout story last season. The way the Oklahoma City Thunder have reshaped the roster this summer could make him something even bigger in 2026-27.
Mitchell went from a rookie who carved out a real rotation role under Mark Daigneault to Oklahoma City’s most dangerous bench weapon in year two. The Santa Barbara product delivered career highs across the board, averaging 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 48.5 percent from the field. That production put him fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
With Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort gone this offseason, Mitchell’s path to that award looks even clearer. BetMGM has him as the second-favorite for Sixth Man of the Year, trailing only San Antonio’s Dylan Harper.
But that may not be the only trophy conversation he belongs in.
If Mitchell is going to get the kind of expanded role that makes him a real 6MOY threat, there’s also a strong case for him to enter the Most Improved Player race. In some ways, that may be the more realistic lane.
The reason is simple: whenever the Thunder have asked him to do more, Mitchell has answered. Last season, when Jalen Williams and other key pieces were out, he averaged 15.2 points on 46.8 percent shooting. Then in the playoffs, when he was pushed into the starting lineup, he produced 18.4 points and 4.7 assists while posting a league-best plus-14.6 plus-minus.
That pattern says plenty. Give Mitchell more touches, more responsibility and more room to operate, and his numbers climb.
Now Oklahoma City has created exactly that kind of opening. With several bench regulars out of the picture, the expectation is that Mitchell will get those bigger chances far more consistently than he did before. If that leads to a full season of production anywhere near those stretches - especially if his long-range shooting returns to its 2024-25 level, as he appears to be working toward - then a third-year former second-round pick would have a very real case for Most Improved Player.
In Other News...
Sam Presti Just Avoided The Roster Drama Another Contender Faces
Restricted free agency can turn into a long summer headache in a hurry, and the Pistons are living through it with Jalen Duren. Detroit has put a hefty offer on the table, reportedly north of $35 million a year, but the sides still have not locked anything in as the calendar keeps moving toward the season.
For Oklahoma City, the contrast is a pretty comfortable one. Sam Presti already has extensions in place for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, the two 2022 draft picks who helped power the Thunder to the 2025 championship, which means one of the league's more important young cores is secured while another contender is still waiting for clarity. [Read more 🡒]
Aday Mara Enters Thunder Camp With One Immediate Problem
Aday Mara arrives at Thunder camp in a much better place physically than some recent Oklahoma City rookies, having gotten through both the NBA Summer League and FIBA World Cup Qualifiers healthy. That alone gives the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 draft a cleaner runway than plenty of young players who have had their first year interrupted by injuries or buried by a deep roster.
Still, health may be the easy part of the equation. Maras summer drew mixed reviews, and there is already a sense that his first season could be more about learning and waiting than immediate production, a familiar pattern for Thunder first-year players trying to break through in Mark Daigneaults system. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder May Soon Face A Tough Jared McCain Decision
After making trades designed to stay clear of luxury tax penalties, the Thunder are now staring at a familiar kind of roster problem: too many promising young guards and not enough easy answers. Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain are all expected to matter in Oklahoma Citys next phase, giving the team real depth and long-term upside in the backcourt.
The tricky part is that not every piece can be treated the same when extension season arrives. McCain is still a valuable player, but the Thunder are likely to view Wallace and Mitchell as the bigger financial priorities, which puts the front office in a familiar balancing act between talent and cost. Keeping all three around as they develop may force some tougher planning down the road. [Read more 🡒]