Thunder expect to contend for NBA title even after several offseason moves

Oklahoma City Thunder

Last season: 64-18, lost to San Antonio in Western Conference finals

COACH: Mark Daigneault (7th season, 275-207)

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 20 at San Antonio

DEPARTURES: (F) Lu Dort, (G) Isaiah Joe, (G) Aaron Wiggins

ADDITIONS: (C) Aday Mara, (G) Bennett Stirtz

What to expert

The Thunder remain one of the league’s youngest and most talented teams, and should contend for a second title in three seasons. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander (28) is the two-time reigning league MVP, Jalen Williams (25) is a 2025 All-Star who returns after missing more than half of last season with injuries, and 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren (24) made All-NBA for the first time. San Antonio and talented big man Victor Wembanyama derailed OKC’s hopes of repeating last season, prompting OKC to draft 7-3 center Aday Mara in the first round to add size and depth to a front line of Holmgren and 7-0 Isaiah Hartenstein. The team traded starter Lu Dort and key reserves Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to cut salary, and will try to fill the void with Cason Wallace (8.6 points, 1.9 steals), Jared McCain, who averaged 39% from 3-point range after being acquired last season, and Bennett Stirtz, another first-round pick who made nearly 36% of his 3s at Iowa.

Strengths and weaknesses

The good: The Thunder continue to play elite defense, allowing 8.3 fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average in 2025-2026. They outscored opponents by 11.1 points per game, a stat that will improve with Williams back in the starting lineup and larger roles for McCain and Ajay Mitchell. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points per game and shot 55.3% from the field while Holmgren averaged career-highs of 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. The not-so-good: Getting over the hump against San Antonio. The Thunder lost four of five regular season games and four of seven meetings in the Western Conference Finals. A healthy Williams and the emergence of Mara could go a long way toward turning things around.

Players to watch

Mara and Stirtz certainly didn’t play like rookies in OKC’s first three preseason games. Mara, a 7-foot-3 center from Michigan, totaled 51 points on 19 of 27 of shooting with 25 rebounds while Stirtz, a 6-4 guard from Iowa, had 61 points on 58% shooting with 15 boards. Wallace is a premier defender who is expected to replace Dort in the starting lineup. McCain, a fan favorite who joined the team in February, averaged 10.4 points in 30 games and dropped 20 or more points twice against the Spurs in the conference finals. He figures to benefit from the departures of Dort, Joe and Wiggins along with participating in training camp and the preseason with OKC. Mitchell is a 6-4 guard who picked up the slack in Williams’ absence, averaging 13.6 points. The Thunder was 50-7 with Mitchell on the floor during the regular season, but a calf injury sidelined him for the final four games of the West finals.

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