Oklahoma City’s Summer League run has already offered a first look at some fresh faces, but the bigger story is who hasn’t been available.
Through two games in Salt Lake City, the Thunder have gotten solid showings from young players and a preview of what the next few seasons could look like. The team’s 2026 draft picks - Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz and Otega Oweh - have all taken the floor for the first time in Thunder colors, giving Sam Presti and the front office an early chance to evaluate the newest additions at the NBA level.
But the summer hasn’t delivered the full picture Oklahoma City was hoping for. Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber, two of the more intriguing names on the roster, have been sidelined by injuries and offseason procedures, leaving them out of action in both Utah and Vegas.
That absence stings a little more because both players were expected to be part of the conversation once Summer League began. Topic had already seen the floor for the Thunder last season, and more reps this summer would have added another layer to his development. Sorber, meanwhile, spent all of last season recovering from a torn ACL, so his first run in Thunder blue would have been a notable moment on its own.
There was also a basketball angle to it. With Mara in the frontcourt as well, Oklahoma City could have at least gotten a look at how its two centers might function together in a double-big setup next season.
For a team still shaping its roster in a league that demands flexibility, more information on Topic and Sorber would have been valuable. Instead, the Thunder have mostly been limited to evaluating their recent draft picks and two-way players for next season.
Summer League rarely gives you the full answer anyway, but seeing Topic and Sorber on the floor would have at least provided a positive sign and maybe some momentum heading toward next season. For now, Oklahoma City will have to wait until the preseason to get its first NBA look at both players.
In Other News...
Thunder Rookie Battle Suddenly Feels Bigger Than Anyone Expected
The Thunders rookie big-man picture has gotten a little more interesting than it looked on draft night. Aday Mara arrived as the higher pick and the more obvious long-term project, but his Summer League stretch has already shown some of the adjustment issues that come with jumping into the NBA, especially on defense and with the ball in his hands.
Thomas Sorber, meanwhile, has quietly put himself in the conversation for a roster spot if he gets to camp fully healthy. The draft slotting says Mara should have the edge, but Sorbers prior experience and practice time could make this a real competition for the fourth big-man job, and Oklahoma City has reason to watch closely as both players try to carve out a place. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Made A Lu Dort Call That Says Plenty
The Thunders decision to pick up Lu Dorts club option for the 2026-27 season says plenty about where this roster stands right now. Oklahoma City clearly values the kind of player Dort has become for them, but the move also reflects a practical reality: he looks like the best answer for the teams final roster spot when the alternatives are thin and the market does not offer much help.
For a club trying to balance talent, flexibility and the realities of the cap, this is a meaningful choice. Keeping Dort points to a willingness to live in second-apron territory for the time being, even if that posture could change later. If the Thunder ever decide to move him, it would likely say more about a shift in their cap approach than about Dort himself. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Suddenly Face One Big Question About Their Title Chances
The Thunder spent the offseason making a few subtle but meaningful tweaks around the edges, dealing Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins for second-round picks and bringing in first-round prospects Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz. Even with those moves, the bigger picture in Oklahoma City still points to continuity, with Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort back in place as the club tries to stay firmly in the Western Conference contender mix.
What makes the conversation more interesting is how the rest of the West is shifting around them. San Antonio and the reigning champion New York Knicks are being cast as the primary threats in the title race, which means Oklahoma City cannot just rely on internal growth to keep pace. The Thunder still profile as one of the teams with the best path to another championship, but the margin for error is getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]