For the Oklahoma City Thunder, the biggest question this offseason isn’t whether they still have a contender. It’s who actually fills out the rotation around the core that already got them there.
After running back the same group for most of two straight seasons, OKC finally made some meaningful changes. Dillon Jones is the only player from the championship season who didn’t return, but the roster still saw real movement after a Western Conference Finals exit at the hands of the Spurs and some team-building issues that forced the organization to adjust.
The Thunder drafted three players, traded two, re-signed Isaiah Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams to new deals, and picked up Luguentz Dort’s option. That’s not a full overhaul, but it is enough turnover to make the depth chart worth rethinking.
The good news for Oklahoma City is that the foundation still looks strong. The team remains in position to contend, and maybe even sits as the league’s most talented roster. Mark Daigneault also has a history of leaning deep into his bench, which means the door is open for several players to carve out real minutes if they start fast.
The starting five appears pretty straightforward. With Hartenstein locked in long-term and Dort under contract for at least one more season, the Thunder are likely to keep the same first unit that helped them win the title a season ago. Unless Dort is traded, continuity seems to be the plan.
The tougher part is sorting out the bench and the true rotation. Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso look like the safest bets to be regulars. Jaylin Williams is also the only other proven big man outside the starting 7-footers.
Jared McCain should have a strong case for minutes, too. He brings 3-point shooting and play-making, exactly the kind of skill set that helps replace what OKC lost with Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe gone. He was solid in the postseason for the Thunder, and with an offseason under his belt, he should be even more comfortable.
The 2026 first-round picks, Bennett Stirtz and Aday Mara, are more complicated. Neither is a sure thing to crack the rotation consistently, though Stirtz’s 3-point shooting could become important if other players don’t take a step forward.
Frontcourt depth is still a need, and Mara’s health plus his unusual 7-foot-3 frame gives him a slight edge over Sorber for now.
Kenrich Williams remains the kind of plug-and-play option coaches trust, and he should see plenty of action, even if he’s not a complete lock for the rotation yet.
Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber are in a different spot. Both have dealt with extensive injuries early in their careers, and they’ll need to prove they can stay on the floor before anyone starts penciling them in for minutes.
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Kevin Durants 2016 departure still sits in a strange place in Thunder history, because it was both shocking in the moment and impossible to separate from everything that came after. He left Oklahoma City for Golden State in a move that ended the franchises most promising run with him as the centerpiece, then explained in his essay, My Next Chapter, that he needed to get out of his comfort zone to keep growing as a person. From the Thunders perspective, it was the kind of decision that changed the shape of the league and left a long wait for the next real breakthrough.
Anthony Morrow, who spent time with Durant in Oklahoma City, recently added another layer to that memory by sharing how he handled the conversation once the news became public. Morrow also described Durant as a brother for life, which fits the complicated way former teammates often talk about a moment that was personal and seismic at the same time. For Thunder fans, the sting lasted well beyond that summer, through years of near-misses, until the franchise finally got back to the top in 2025. [Read more 🡒]
Shai Just Hit Another Milestone In His Thunder Legacy
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander keeps collecting the kind of recognition that turns a great Thunder era into something bigger. Bleacher Reports latest draft exercise put him atop the 11th-overall pick conversation for the century, a nod to how far he has moved the standard for that slot and how quickly he has become the face of Oklahoma Citys rise.
The comparison naturally runs through names like Klay Thompson, but the case for Gilgeous-Alexander is built on more than reputation. His scoring has stayed elite and efficient, and the broader argument is starting to sound less like a debate about one draft position and more like a historical check-in on where his legacy belongs once the leagues all-time 11th picks are sorted out. [Read more 🡒]