Oklahoma City’s preseason has already started to tilt the spotlight toward a pair of recent first-rounders, and that shift could have real consequences for Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber.
The Thunder opened exhibition play against the New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks, and even in losses, the early signs were strong enough to suggest the core is still primed to keep Oklahoma City near the top of the Western Conference. But the biggest story so far has been the way Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz have jumped into the conversation.
Mara and Stirtz, the Thunder’s two 2026 first-round picks, have looked sharp in both games. They’ve been the team’s top two scorers in each preseason outing, and that kind of start puts them in a strong position to carve out roles when the regular season begins. It also adds another layer of competition for minutes.
That’s where Topic and Sorber enter the picture. Oklahoma City’s highest picks in 2024 and 2025, respectively, have had their starts delayed by offseason procedures, and both are expected to get a chance this season. Still, the early preseason burst from Mara and Stirtz may be making the climb a little steeper.
The Thunder won’t ignore Topic or Sorber, and they’ll get a fair shot to show what they can do. But in a rotation that already has established stars soaking up major minutes, the margin for entry is tight. That’s especially true on a roster with this much talent, where every opportunity has to be earned.
None of that guarantees anything either way. If Topic and Sorber come back and deliver, Oklahoma City will make room. Good players get minutes, and the Thunder are going to find ways to use them.
For now, though, Mara and Stirtz have at least complicated the path. Their early preseason performances have made the battle for playing time even more crowded for Topic and Sorber, and that’s the pressure point to watch as the exhibition slate continues.
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Aday Mara Might Unlock A New Side Of Shais Game
Aday Mara has already given the Thunder a different kind of look in preseason, and it fits neatly alongside the way Shai Gilgeous-Alexander operates as the focal point of the offense. The rookie big has flashed as a lob threat, which matters in Oklahoma City because it adds another easy-read option for a guard who already bends defenses with his scoring gravity and patience.
If Mara can keep forcing defenders to make choices around the rim, there is a path for Gilgeous-Alexander to pile up more assists without having to change the way he naturally plays. The ripple effect has shown up with other rookies too, including Bennett Stirtz, who has been adjusting to a more off-ball role while benefiting from SGA's style, and that is part of what makes this preseason development worth watching once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Trade Is Suddenly Being Linked To A Much Bigger NBA Fallout
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For Oklahoma City, the more practical impact was simpler and far more familiar: McCains emergence gave the Thunder room to reshape the backcourt and trust younger help behind their core. The broader fallout is where the story gets interesting, though, because the same chain of events is now being connected to Philadelphias front office direction and, in turn, to LeBron James choice of destination, leaving one of the leagues strangest offseason domino runs still open for debate. [Read more 🡒]
Aday Mara Is Giving The Thunder A New Problem For Defenses
Rookie center Aday Mara has wasted no time making himself part of Oklahoma Citys preseason conversation. Through the first two games, he has given the Thunder a different kind of interior presence, one that has already shown up in the way the offense is flowing around him. His size and timing have made alley-oop actions a real weapon, and the team has been able to create looks that simply were not there with its previous centers.
The early returns have been hard to ignore because Mara has been productive in very few minutes, adding scoring, rebounding and rim protection while fitting neatly into the Thunders pace and spacing. Just as important, his touch around the basket has defenses having to account for him in a new way, which can open things up for everyone else. For a team always looking for another edge, the next question is how much of this new wrinkle can carry over once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]