The Oklahoma City Thunder are heading into the 2026-27 season with a clear mission after falling to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. They were the defending champions then, but now the label has changed: they’re the ones chasing.
That shift seems to have lit a fire under the group, especially Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Oklahoma City’s top two players are already putting in offseason work, determined to push themselves back to their best and help steer the Thunder toward another run.
Gilgeous-Alexander had another huge year, taking home the NBA regular season MVP award for the second straight season. Even so, the Thunder didn’t get the co-star production they needed when it mattered most. Chet Holmgren struggled in the postseason, and his issues were especially pronounced in the series against San Antonio.
Williams’ absence may have been the bigger setback. He missed significant time because of hamstring issues throughout the season, and that kept Oklahoma City from building the kind of steady rhythm it wanted. The Thunder were forced to keep adjusting on the fly.
Now, though, Williams appears to be in a better place physically, and his summer work alongside Gilgeous-Alexander is an encouraging sign for Oklahoma City. Getting those two on the floor together gives the Thunder the kind of star power they want to lean on.
Holmgren is also in the mix, working hard as he tries to bounce back from a rough postseason stretch. He has plenty to prove after that series against the Spurs, and the Thunder will need him to respond if they’re going to make another championship push.
With Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams leading the way, Oklahoma City has reason to believe the rest of the roster will follow. Mark Daigneault’s team looks set to be a difficult one to handle, and the source material even suggests the Thunder could enter the season as favorites to win it all again.
In Other News...
Thunder May Already Have A Better Short-Term Answer Than Aday Mara
Thomas Sorbers arrival has already given the Thunder a different kind of frontcourt conversation than the one that followed Aday Maras selection a year later. Sorber came into the organization as the 15th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after missing his first college season because of a torn ACL, but the early read on him has centered on what he can do defensively when hes on the floor. For a team that keeps thinking long term while still trying to win now, that kind of immediate utility matters.
Mara, taken 12th in the 2026 draft, still has plenty of upside, but the adjustment to NBA speed and physicality can take time for a young big man. That is why there is already some belief around the Thunder that Sorber could wind up ahead of him in the short-term pecking order. The larger question is whether Oklahoma City sees Sorber as a useful piece right away or simply the first answer while it waits for Mara to catch up. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Added Another Big Man With One Roster Question Looming
The Thunder have added another layer to their frontcourt depth by signing center Christoph Tilly to an Exhibit-10 contract, a camp deal that gives Oklahoma City some extra size for preseason while keeping the long-term picture flexible. Tilly arrives as an undrafted free agent and, barring a surprise turn, should spend most of his time with the OKC Blue while serving as a depth option as the Thunder work through the early stages of camp.
What makes the move more interesting is that Oklahoma City still has an open standard roster spot, which leaves the front office with a decision to make before the Oct. 20 season opener. An Exhibit-10 can be a useful bridge, especially for a player trying to carve out a place in the organization, and the Thunder have the ability to turn one of these training-camp arrangements into a standard deal if the right fit emerges. [Read more 🡒]
Chet Holmgren May Have Found New Fuel Thunder Fans Will Love
Chet Holmgren has spent the offseason leaning into the part of his game he knows still needs work, with an emphasis on getting stronger and more physical after a season that showed both his promise and the gap he is still trying to close. For Thunder fans, that matters because Holmgren has already stacked up the kind of production and recognition that make him a core piece in Oklahoma City, even if the conference finals exposed how much more rugged the road can get when the matchups turn elite.
The latest little spark came from a playful jab from teammate Jared McCain, and Holmgren did not let it sit there. He answered in the kind of way teammates tend to remember, then kept the focus on the larger mission by continuing to train through the summer with an eye on becoming harder to deal with inside. If that work translates, the Thunder may get the version of Holmgren they have been waiting for, and the league may have to adjust all over again. [Read more 🡒]