The Thunder’s offseason looks all but finished after a summer of trimming salary, reshaping the depth chart and stockpiling future picks.
Oklahoma City’s first big swing came with the departures of Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta and Isaiah Joe to Detroit, moves that brought back four second-round picks and fit the team’s push to stay under the second apron and lower its luxury tax bill. The logic was clear: both players were unlikely to see much postseason run, and both were due more money next season.
That set up the bigger question around Luguentz Dort, a longtime starter who had become a key part of the Thunder’s rise with championship-level defense and 3-point shooting. In the end, Oklahoma City moved him too, sending Dort to the Hawks for three second-round picks.
The trade helped keep the Thunder just under the second apron, even as it cost them more proven, win-now talent in exchange for future draft capital.
With three players traded, three players drafted and a few others re-signed, the roster now appears mostly set. Oklahoma City still has an open spot, but filling it is not simple.
The team had previously tried to land Nuggets wing Spencer Jones on a two-year deal to add depth, only for Denver to match the offer and push itself into the second apron. Oklahoma City was willing to make that kind of move, but finding a similar player now is a tougher task. The Thunder don’t really need another guard or big with their current reserve group, and affordable wing depth is hard to come by.
Because of that, the likeliest outcome is that OKC opens the season with that roster spot still vacant and leans on two-way contracts to eventually bring someone up from within. That route has worked before, including when the team found Dort in that exact way years ago.
Even after losing some immediate help, the Thunder still look loaded enough to remain one of the league’s top contenders. Jared McCain stays an important piece after arriving midseason last year, while rookies Bennett Stirtz and Aday Mara could help provide new options. The team will also be counting on continued growth from guards Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace.
For now, Oklahoma City can wait and see how the 2026-27 season shapes up before making its next real move.
In Other News...
Thunder Get An Immediate Test Against Spurs On Opening Night
The NBA has already given Oklahoma City a headline-worthy start to the 2027-28 season, sending the Thunder to San Antonio for an Oct. 20 Opening Night meeting with the Spurs. The game will air on NBC and Peacock with an 8:30 p.m. CT tip-off, putting two of the leagues most intriguing young teams in the spotlight from the jump.
It also gives the Thunder an immediate measuring stick against a Spurs group they just saw in the 2026 Western Conference Finals, a series that underscored how close both franchises are to the top of the West. With both clubs expected to be contenders again, this is the kind of early-season matchup that can carry a little extra weight long after opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Fans Finally Know How OKCs New Roster Will Be Tested Early
The Thunders reshaped roster now has a clear early-season measuring stick, with the 2026-27 schedule bringing immediate tests on both ends of opening week. Oklahoma City opens on the road against the San Antonio Spurs before returning home for a matchup with the Denver Nuggets, a quick pair of games that should offer an early read on how well the new pieces are coming together after a summer of trades and draft additions.
There is also a showcase spot waiting a little deeper into the calendar, with a Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Timberwolves giving the Thunder another high-profile stage. For a team that spent the offseason changing the look of its roster, these dates will matter because they come before much of the league settles into its rhythm, leaving Oklahoma City with little time to ease into whatever this new version is supposed to become. [Read more 🡒]
Chet Holmgren Just Put New Pressure On The Thunders Future
The Thunders postseason ended with a harsh reminder of how thin the margins can be when a team is trying to climb from contender to championship threat. Oklahoma City was pushed out by the Spurs in a seven-game series, and Chet Holmgren came away owning his part in the loss after a series in which his impact never quite matched the scale of the matchup.
Holmgrens struggles are stirring a bigger conversation around the Thunders future, especially because the center is already tied to a max contract and the franchise has to keep an eye on how its money is committed. In the wake of the series, some around the league are wondering whether his long-term fit could come under pressure if those same issues keep showing up in the biggest games. [Read more 🡒]