Oklahoma City’s youth movement is about to put two familiar veterans in the spotlight.
With the Thunder leaning even younger this season, Kenrich Williams and Alex Caruso could be asked to carry more of the load than they usually do. The roster has been reshaped with younger players from this year’s draft, and the depth chart is thin enough that OKC may need every bit of experience it has.
That matters because the Thunder are entering the year with a lot of players still finding their footing. Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz are both trying to establish themselves in the NBA, while Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain are still very early in their careers. On top of that, Oklahoma City has only 14 players on the roster, which means the team will have to lean on two-way players to help fill things out, including two rookies.
In that kind of setup, the veterans become more than just steady hands. They become the adults in the room.
Williams and Caruso fit that description as well as anyone. Williams is entering his ninth year in the league, while Caruso is heading into his tenth, and both have already shown they can be trusted in different ways.
Caruso has been the Thunder’s go-to playoff piece, seeing lighter regular-season minutes before his role grows when the games tighten up. Williams has often been used the other way around, logging more regular-season minutes to help the team secure strong seeding before his role shrinks in the postseason.
That balance could change this year.
Caruso may be needed more often during the regular season if Oklahoma City has to rely on him to win games and help bring along the next wave of Thunder talent. Williams, meanwhile, could see a bigger postseason role if the team prefers an experienced player over a rookie when the pressure rises. That would be a noticeable shift for a veteran who averaged a little over six minutes last season.
The Thunder still have plenty of young players to develop, but that process doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Somebody has to guide the group through the grind of the season, and Williams and Caruso could wind up doing more of that than usual.
In Other News...
Thunder Title Hopes Still Rest On One Risky 2026-27 Bet
The Thunder have already built a title-caliber foundation around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, but the path to another real championship run still leans heavily on the players around them holding up and taking another step. Oklahoma Citys next window is being framed by the health and development of a few key pieces, with the front office betting that its depth can keep pace even after a busy offseason that changed the look of the rotation.
Jalen Williams remains the biggest swing in that equation, since his availability and growth could shape how high this group can climb, and the pressure does not stop there. The Thunder also need Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell to help absorb the minutes and production left behind by offseason moves involving Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, which makes the 2026-27 picture feel both promising and a little fragile at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
Former Thunder Pick Gets Another NBA Shot After Winning Two Titles
Dillon Jones keeps finding his way back into NBA conversations, even if the path has been anything but straightforward. The former Thunder first-round pick is already a two-time champion, having collected title rings with Oklahoma City and the New York Knicks after being drafted by the Thunder in 2024 and later moving on from the organization.
Jones journey since then has included a trade to the Wizards in 2025, a waiver, and then a return to the league on a two-way deal with New York in 2026. He was part of the Knicks postseason run but was not eligible for the playoffs because of that contract status, and now he is set for another opportunity to prove he belongs as he heads into training camp with Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Face A Costly Cason Wallace Decision At The Worst Time
Cason Wallace has put the Thunder in a tricky spot as the October 19 deadline nears, with the restricted free agent still without a contract extension. Oklahoma City has plenty to weigh here: Wallace is already carrying the rsum of a young player teams value highly, with an NBA championship and All-Defensive recognition helping set the tone for his next payday.
The market may be even richer than the Thunder would prefer. NBA analyst Zach Lowe reported that rival front-office voices viewed Wallace as the best of a small group of 2023 draft players, and leaguewide estimates for his next deal have landed in the $25 million to $33 million range annually. For a team trying to manage its future while keeping its core intact, the clock is forcing an uncomfortable decision. [Read more 🡒]