The Thunder’s roster may have changed around the edges this summer, but the big picture still looks strikingly familiar. Oklahoma City has all 15 roster spots filled, and after a flurry of moves that trimmed payroll without blowing up the core, the depth chart still points to a team built around the same familiar names.
That’s a notable stance given the chatter that followed the new NBA CBA and the second apron. Plenty of teams would have treated that financial line like a flashing warning sign. The Thunder, after moving Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, then bringing back Isaiah Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams and picking up Lu Dort’s final year, appear willing to live with the consequences.
At point guard, there isn’t much mystery. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is locked in as the starter after winning his second straight MVP and putting together the most efficient 30-plus-point scoring season the league has ever seen.
Behind him, Ajay Mitchell looks like the clear No. 2 after a breakout year that included 13.6 points, 3.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game, plus a top-six finish in Sixth Man of the Year voting. Nikola Topic fits as the change-of-pace option, the pure floor general in the mix.
The two-guard spot is just as settled for now. Lu Dort is expected to keep starting there until he’s either traded or his contract runs out next summer.
That’s been his lane for most of his seven-year run, and his reputation as one of the league’s top star-stoppers keeps him in the role. Cason Wallace may want that job himself, but Dort’s value isn’t tied to the starting lineup.
With All-Defensive-level impact and a 37.4 career three-point percentage, he matters either way. Jared McCain sits third in that pecking order, and his role should grow after the departures of Joe and Wiggins.
Those exits could also open the door for rookie Bennett Stirtz to get more run than expected, especially after what he’s shown in Summer League.
Small forward is where the Thunder look both loaded and thin. Jalen Williams is the obvious starter, and when healthy he’s one of the best wings in the game.
In the 2024-25 season, he made All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defensive teams while averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists, helping Oklahoma City win its first NBA championship. The problem is the drop-off behind him.
Alex Caruso is the most logical backup, but he’s more naturally a shooting guard and doesn’t bring the size or scoring punch you’d want behind Williams. That makes the three spot one area where Sam Presti could still look to make a move.
The frontcourt is more straightforward. Chet Holmgren is the starting power forward and, at this point, that’s not really up for debate.
In his third season, he posted 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 55.7 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from deep, earning All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defensive honors. Behind him, Jaylin Williams gives the Thunder a backup big with defense, passing and floor spacing that put him in the conversation for best reserve big in the league.
Kenrich Williams rounds out the group with the kind of hustle and energy that can change a game in short bursts.
Center is the other spot drawing real attention. Isaiah Hartenstein has held down the job since arriving in the summer of 2024, and after signing a new three-year, $75 million deal this offseason, he looks set to keep it.
The question is who backs him up. Aday Mara, the club’s lottery pick from this past June’s draft, and Thomas Sorber, the No. 15 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, are the two names in the mix.
Mara arrived with plenty of buzz but has been underwhelming in Summer League. Sorber hasn’t played yet because of a torn ACL, though he recently underwent surgery again on that same knee and is still expected to be ready for training camp.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Made A Stunning Decision On A Former No. 1 Pick
A three-team trade sent Zachcharie Risacher from Atlanta to Dallas, with the Hawks also landing point guard Ryan Nembhard from the Mavericks. For Oklahoma City, the move was more about the return than the headline names, as the Thunder came away with three second-round picks while reshaping the roster in a deal that touched multiple fronts.
The bigger picture for the Thunder is the ongoing effort to trim salary and stay below the second apron, a goal that has increasingly shaped how they approach roster moves. Even in a transaction built around other teams priorities, Oklahoma City found a way to add draft capital and keep its long-term flexibility intact, which is exactly the kind of bookkeeping that can matter later. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Suddenly Face A Starting Five Decision That Changes Everything
The Thunders next starting-five puzzle is already taking shape for 2026-27, and it comes with real consequences for how the roster looks around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With Luguentz Dort no longer in the picture, Oklahoma City has to decide whether to lean into a like-for-like defensive replacement or use the opening to add a different kind of creator on the perimeter.
Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell are the names that stand out as the most natural options, and each points the offense in a different direction. Wallace brings the point-of-attack defense and shooting the Thunder have long valued on the wing, while Mitchell offers more off-the-dribble scoring, play-making and secondary ball-handling that could change how the group functions from the start of games. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Made A Painful Core Decision Shai Won't Like
The Thunder chose flexibility over familiarity, moving on from one of the most trusted pieces of their core in a deal that brought back three second-round draft picks. It was a clean basketball decision on paper and a costly one emotionally, especially for a team that has spent the last few seasons building around continuity, defense and a shared identity.
Oklahoma City made the move to stay clear of the NBAs second salary apron, and the ripple effect reaches beyond the ledger. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had reportedly wanted Luguentz Dort to remain in place, but the Thunder now plan to move Cason Wallace into the starting lineup, a sign that the front office is already looking at the next version of this roster even if not everyone in the locker room is ready to let go. [Read more 🡒]