The Oklahoma City Thunder are headed into 2026-27 with the kind of roster depth that usually keeps a team in the thick of things. But after a trio of trades sent Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort elsewhere, there’s also a clear opening for a few guards to grab more responsibility.
That’s where the biggest leap conversation starts.
One name to watch is McCain, who arrived in Oklahoma City during the 2025-26 season and wasted little time making his mark. In 30 games, he put up 10.4 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 46.2% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range on 4.6 attempts per game.
Then the playoffs changed the picture even more. When Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell were sidelined, McCain stepped into a bigger role as one of the Thunder’s primary ball-handlers and scorers, and he handled it well.
With Joe and Wiggins gone, his first full season in OKC should come with a lot more chances.
Topic is another player who could be in line for a real jump, provided health cooperates. The No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft missed the 2024-25 season because of an ACL injury, then dealt with a cancer diagnosis before the 2025-26 campaign.
Once he got back on the floor, the Serbian guard appeared in 10 games and averaged 5.2 points, 4.4 assists and 1.9 rebounds while shooting 43.1% from the field and 40% from deep in 16 minutes per game. He also flashed in the G League, finishing with 18.4 points, 7.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on 55.2% shooting and 46.5% from 3 across 13 contests.
If he stays healthy in 2026-27, Topic has a real chance to turn that into a breakout, even if the ceiling for this season is more solid rotation piece than star.
Wallace belongs in the same conversation, and maybe with the clearest path to a bigger role. He has already been a steady part of the rotation in each of his first three seasons, and in 2025-26 he averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 43.2% from the field and 35.1% from 3-point range.
That work earned him All-Defense recognition. With Dort no longer in Oklahoma City, Wallace could move into the starting five and see his numbers climb with the added minutes and responsibility.
In Other News...
What Really Happened In That Viral Warriors Draft Room Moment
The Warriors draft room became one of the nights most replayed scenes during the 2026 NBA Draft, but the real backdrop was a familiar one: teams calling, options shifting, and a front office trying to decide whether to move off No. 11. Golden State had gone into the pick hoping Brayden Burries would still be there, only to watch Milwaukee take him at No. 10, which pushed the Warriors into a quick pivot toward Yaxel Lendeborg.
Before the selection was made, Golden State was also weighing outside interest from Charlotte and Oklahoma City, with both clubs exploring ways to move up the board. In the end, the Warriors passed on the trade possibilities and stayed put at No. 11, taking Lendeborg, even as the broadcast moment left plenty of room for viewers to read more into the exchange than the room was actually giving away. [Read more 🡒]
Nikola Topic Suddenly Has A Huge Thunder Opportunity To Prove Himself
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spent the summer sharpening his off-ball game, a wrinkle that could make Oklahoma City even harder to defend and, perhaps more important for the Thunders long view, create a cleaner runway for Nikola Topic. The young point guard is entering his third year with the kind of passing feel this roster can use, and the Thunders evolving mix of personnel may open a lane for him to get more meaningful minutes than he has had before.
Topics case is about more than just opportunity on the floor. He is now eligible for a fourth-year team option and a contract extension, which puts Oklahoma City in a familiar spot of balancing development against long-term cost. With roster departures already thinning the guard and wing rotation, the Thunder have a chance to find out whether Topic can turn those extra possessions into a real role, and maybe make the front offices next decision a little harder than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Became The Team The West Is Chasing
Minnesotas summer move for LaMelo Ball was part of a bigger Western Conference arms race, with the Timberwolves trying to close the gap on the leagues elite and Oklahoma City sitting near the top of that list. The Thunder have earned that status the hard way, winning the title behind a defense that made life miserable for opposing backcourts and kept the pressure on every possession.
Even with Ball joining Anthony Edwards to give Minnesota a more dangerous offensive core, the challenge in the West still runs through Oklahoma Citys ability to take away what teams want most. The Thunder are also expected to get Cason Wallace more fully into the mix, which only adds another layer to a group that already knows how to grind down opponents and control the terms of a series. [Read more 🡒]