The Oklahoma City Thunder are still weeks away from the start of 2026-27 training camp, but a group of players has already gotten a head start.
On Sunday, several Thunder players traveled to Dallas, TX, for a workout and scrimmage. Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Aday Mara, Thomas Sorber, Bennett Stirtz and Brooks Barnhizer were all there, according to an Instagram post that captured the early September get-together.
The session had a clear frontcourt feel to it, with Holmgren at the center of the group. He’s coming off an All-NBA season and remains viewed as one of the league’s top players, even with his rough playoff finish. His trophy case and advanced stats kinda back that up.
Jaylin Williams also stands to enter the year with plenty of momentum. After a breakout season, his decision to slim down paid off, and he’s now considered one of the league’s better backup centers. Kenrich Williams, back in Oklahoma City on a one-year deal, could also see a larger role this season after the depth chart shifted.
For the rest of the group, the trip was about getting reps and building familiarity. Mara, Sorber, Stirtz and Barnhizer are still largely unknowns as the Thunder continue reshaping the supporting cast around their core.
The hope is that at least one of those four can contribute right away. Mara and Sorber are Oklahoma City’s last two top draft picks, and both bring the possibility of a young spark to an already deep frontcourt.
Stirtz likely spent time working on his pick-and-roll game with the Thunder’s bigs. He’s projected to be another ball-handler who can help take some of the load off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has carried an enormous workload over the past few seasons. Getting that chemistry started now makes plenty of sense.
Player-run workouts are a familiar sight around the NBA in the summer, and this one fits that mold. The regular season is approaching fast, and Oklahoma City enters it as a co-title favorite alongside the San Antonio Spurs.
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The challenge is finding a number that reflects how far Wallace has come without forcing the Thunder to distort their long-term team-building plans. No agreement is in place yet, and if the two sides do not land one before the deadline, Wallace would be on track to keep moving toward restricted free agency in 2027, leaving this as one of the more consequential decisions hanging over the franchises next few days. [Read more 🡒]