The Thunder’s roster math is changing fast, and that’s what makes Bennett Stirtz such a big name to watch.
With the NBA’s expansion plans picking up steam, a 2028 expansion draft could be part of the league’s near future. Bleacher Report’s latest mock expansion draft had a familiar Thunder connection at the top: sharpshooter Jared McCain going first overall to the Las Vegas Vipers. If that happens, Oklahoma City’s need for young perimeter help only grows louder.
That matters because the Thunder already thinned out their wing and guard depth this offseason by moving Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, and Lu Dort. The result is a little more vulnerability on the perimeter, with McCain the only clear backup behind likely starter Cason Wallace at shooting guard.
Stirtz suddenly looks like a player who may have to grow up quickly.
Before Oklahoma City cleared out that depth, there wasn’t much room for a new face to force his way into the picture. Now, the first-round pick has a real opening to carve out a spot in the 2026-27 rotation. What he does with that chance is still to be determined, but the possibility of an expansion draft raises the stakes even more.
If McCain is taken, Stirtz would be in line to help absorb that loss. The Thunder don’t appear to have many second-unit options who can consistently space the floor, and Alex Caruso has settled into his role as a defensive skeleton key while budding star Ajay Mitchell is expected to handle point guard duties.
That leaves one obvious need: someone who can run around off the ball and knock down shots.
Stirtz will have to sharpen his three-point shooting, but as a first-year player, he has a real opportunity to make that leap and become another outside threat for Oklahoma City.
Sam Presti built this Western Conference powerhouse on depth, but the second apron has started to chip away at that advantage. That’s why this draft, and the ones that follow, carry so much weight. Stirtz and fellow first-round pick Aday Mara are part of a new wave expected to replace pricier veterans the Thunder may eventually have to move on from to avoid financial penalties.
And with expansion looming on top of all that, Stirtz’s bargain contract only becomes more valuable. He looks like one of the most important young Thunder players to track over the next few years.
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 🡒]