Oklahoma City’s bench picture looks a lot different heading into 2026-27, and the Thunder will need several familiar names to do more heavy lifting after a busy 2026 offseason reshaped the roster.
The biggest issue is depth. Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins combined to average 43 minutes per game last season, and both played in at least 65 games.
With neither player still on the roster, Oklahoma City loses two steady pieces who soaked up real minutes and helped stabilize the second unit. That makes the rest of the bench far more important.
Alex Caruso stands out immediately, even if he might not land here based on the regular season alone. The veteran wing’s playoff work is what puts him in the spotlight.
In the 2026 Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Caruso averaged 14.9 points, 2.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 47.7% from the field and 50% from 3-point range on 5.7 attempts per game. He was Oklahoma City’s second-leading scorer in that series behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and made his mark at both ends of the floor.
Ajay McCain also looks like a player the Thunder can count on for offense off the bench. His 2025-26 regular season was already solid - 10.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range in 30 games with Oklahoma City - but he raised his level in the playoffs.
Across 11 postseason games against the Lakers and Spurs, McCain averaged 12.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 41.8% from the field and 38.5% from deep. That kind of scoring makes him a strong candidate to be one of the team’s top bench weapons in 2026-27.
The other major question is how the Thunder sort out their wing rotation after trading Lu Dort in the offseason. Either Mitchell or Wallace seems headed for the starting five, which means the player who doesn’t start becomes one of the most valuable reserves on the roster.
Mitchell brings the bigger offensive punch. He averaged 13.6 points and shot 48.5% from the field in 2025-26, and he flashed even more when Jalen Williams was out against the Los Angeles Lakers. In that four-game stretch, Mitchell posted 22.5 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 56.3% from the field.
Wallace offers a different profile, but he matters just as much in his own way. He was an All-Defense honoree in 2026 and has been a reliable bench option throughout his NBA career.
Oklahoma City’s frontcourt depth also has a clear hierarchy. Behind Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, Williams is the only big man on the roster with NBA experience.
Rookies Thomas Sorber and Aday Mara are there too, but both are entering their first professional season and will need time to adjust. Williams has already shown he can handle the job, giving the Thunder solid interior defense and enough skill as a shooter and passer to fit on offense as a backup big.
In Other News...
Trae Young Finally Opened Up About His Hawks Exit
Trae Youngs move out of Atlanta had already been one of the leagues more notable offseason storylines, but his latest comments added a little more texture to how he got there. On a podcast, the former face of the Hawks talked about wanting his exit to stay clean and professional, a reflection of how much the relationship between star players, front offices and fan bases can shape the endgame when a franchise starts to shift around its centerpiece.
Youngs explanation also hinted at a broader concern that goes beyond one trade: the risk of leaving a city in a way that turns admiration into resentment. He pointed to the changing structure around the Hawks and said he wanted to avoid the kind of hard feelings that can follow a star departure, while also sounding upbeat about his health and his chances to deliver for Washington this season. [Read more 🡒]
Cason Wallace Could Create A Thunder Problem Fans Wont Ignore
The Thunder have spent this summer managing the NBAs harsh second-apron terrain, and Cason Wallace has become one of the most important names in that conversation. A young, useful guard with the kind of two-way profile teams value, Wallace is the sort of player Oklahoma City would love to keep growing with the rest of its core. The problem is that the better he looks on the floor, the more expensive he becomes, and the franchise is already operating in a financial lane that leaves very little room for mistakes.
For a team built around long-term flexibility, Wallaces next contract could turn into exactly the kind of decision Oklahoma City has tried to avoid. If his role keeps expanding, the Thunder may eventually have to choose between paying him at a level his play demands or making painful roster moves to stay compliant with the leagues spending rules. It is the kind of cap headache contenders hope to delay, but in Oklahoma Citys case, it is arriving sooner than most fans would like. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Fans May Soon Be Debating One Backcourt Role Hardest
Jared McCain arrives for his first full season with Oklahoma City as one of the more intriguing pieces in a backcourt already crowded with established names. The Thunder have plenty of ball-handling and perimeter defense to sort through with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell all in the mix, which makes every rotation spot feel like it will have to be earned the hard way.
McCain at least gave the staff something to think about in last seasons playoffs, when he showed flashes as a three-point threat and handled a larger role than many expected. The question now is how much room there is for him to carve out a consistent place in a group this deep, and that is the kind of debate that can follow a team all season if the early minutes do not settle quickly. [Read more 🡒]