The Oklahoma City Thunder have successfully handled their financial woes this offseason.
They decided to hold onto all three of their draft selections, choosing to inject some young talent into the roster while moving on from Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe. These were painful decisions, but they were the right ones.
Keeping three stars on the roster, especially on the type of contracts they've received, requires any organization to cycle through their depth under the modern CBA. Oklahoma City has positioned themselves to do that, even if it comes at the cost of some vital pieces.
But as the Thunder head into 2026-27, they'll be preparing to undergo this process all over again next offseason. They'll likely have Cason Wallace's extension kicking in, and both Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain will become eligible for their own second contracts.
This past season, Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein were the clear players to watch—at least in terms of potential departures—given their looming team options. Things will be slightly less clear-cut in 2026-27.
3 players who are facing make-or-break seasons for the Thunder in 2026-27
1. Jaylin Williams
The Thunder have routinely granted themselves flexibility by including team options into some of their longer-term deals. It's what allowed them to retrieve draft capital in exchange for Dort, and it's what enabled them to bring back Kenrich Williams at a more team-friendly price point.
Jaylin Williams is facing the same sort of scenario in 2026-27. He has a team option on the final season (2027-28) of the three-year, $24 million deal he signed with Oklahoma City last offseason. His presence, at this point, is not a necessity. But it is a much-appreciated luxury.
He's a capable playmaker and an excellent small-ball center, and his production actually ramped up last season as he took on minutes during Hartenstein's regular-season absences. But if Oklahoma City needs to shed salary next offseason, Williams will likely be the first on the chopping block.
2. Alex Caruso
If we're ordering this according to the degree to which the Thunder would be willing to part with these pieces, there's a wide gulf between Williams and Caruso. While Williams is a helpful rotational piece, Caruso has been absolutely integral to the Thunder's past two playoff runs. His hard-nosed style of play (and uncanny clutch perimeter shooting abilities) are the reason Oklahoma City acquired him in the first place, and that's not likely to change in 2026-27.
But Caruso has struggled to stay healthy over the past two regular seasons, and the Thunder owe him over $60 million between now and the end of 2028-29. If Caruso fails to replicate what he's done since he arrived in Oklahoma City, there are plenty of teams who would be willing to take on this financial 'burden' from Sam Presti and company.
3. Ajay Mitchell
Mitchell, of course, is under team control at a relatively modest price until the end of 2027-28. But the best-case scenario for both parties is that he avoids restricted free agency entirely, signing a deal next offseason as a future cornerstone of the Thunder's backcourt.
But it's likely that Wallace gets his extension this offseason, and that raises the bar even higher for Mitchell to prove he can be the sixth-man (or starting backcourt partner) long-term in Oklahoma City. He had a major breakout last season, averaging 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while knocking down 34.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
There are certainly still areas for improvement in his game, and he needs to carry over the momentum he found last season if he wants to be a lock for an extension with the Thunder. Perhaps 'make-or-break' is too harsh a term here. But Mitchell is certainly entering 2026-27 with some pressure on his shoulders.
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