As Oklahoma City gets ready for training camp, a pair of rookies may find themselves with a little more room to work than expected.
The Thunder enter the preseason needing to replace production after an offseason that saw Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe move on. Most of last season’s roster is still intact, but the search for new contributions is likely to start with the incoming rookie class.
That makes the situations around Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz worth watching closely. The Thunder used their two first-round picks in 2026 on those players, and both should have a chance to compete for minutes. But the picture becomes even more interesting after Thunder GM Sam Presti laid out where Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber stand heading into camp.
“Because they've missed so much time with another injury, when they're coming back from a new thing -- in this case it's [Topic’s] back, Sorber had the scope in July to the same knee, but that's compounding on the fact that they both missed time in their draft year,” Presti said. “It's a much more complicated return-to-play program because it's not just from one injury, it's a big layoff where there hasn't been a lot of live play. So we're trying to figure out how to do that because it's almost like two years in both cases.”
With Topic and Sorber both limited to open camp, Oklahoma City appears ready to bring them along carefully. That creates a window for the rookies to get a longer look in preseason action.
Stirtz will have the harder climb. The backcourt ahead of him is loaded, so breaking into the rotation won’t be easy. Still, he could carve out some minutes and leave a mark if he makes the most of them.
Mara, on the other hand, has a cleaner path. Sorber may need time before he’s ready for game action, and with the Thunder showing a willingness to lean into double-big lineups, Mara should have chances to get on the floor during October exhibitions.
The Thunder would obviously prefer to have Topic and Sorber fully available, but their recoveries may end up giving Oklahoma City a closer look at Mara and Stirtz. The opportunity is there now. What matters next is whether the two rookies can turn it into something memorable.
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This preseason, though, tighter margins could make those minutes harder to find for second-round pick Otega Oweh. If the Thunder are playing more competitive games and shrinking the floor for developmental reps, his path could get complicated quickly, especially with the team weighing how best to handle his roster status and long-term growth. [Read more 🡒]