Though the bulk of attention may be on lottery-selected center Aday Mara during this year's Summer League and throughout the lead-up months to the 2026-27 campaign, the OKC Thunder quietly brought on another talent who could wind up being the real big add of the offseason.
Via a trade-up exchange, Oklahoma City managed to snatch up Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz 16 overall in last month's draft.
Coming into the draft, Stirtz was tabbed as a highly regarded offensive weapon who, behind an efficient on- and off-ball shooting stroke and savvy passing skills, earned recognition as a steal of a pick in the mid-first round.
During his final year at the collegiate level, the 22-year-old posted impressive per-game averages of 19.8 points and 4.4 assists per game on 47.7 percent shooting from the floor and 35.8 percent shooting from deep.
So far into this year's Summer League, Stirtz has only continued to show flashes of his offensive excellence, particularly in his debut exhibition with the Thunder, where he dropped 10 points and four assists while splashing home on two of his three long-range attempts.
While Mara has been showing signs of struggle in these early stages of his tenure with the club, Stirtz is showing hints that he may have what it takes to step into consistent rotation minutes right out of the gates, which is especially beneficial considering the recent departures Oklahoma City saw.
Thunder could use talents of Bennett Stirtz this coming season
A side effect of the trades the Thunder made this summer was the loss of their top catch-and-shoot scoring threat, Isaiah Joe.
The newly minted Piston established himself as a lights-out sniper for Oklahoma City throughout his four seasons with the club, and specifically capped off his final go-around with a career-best long-range shooting clip of 42.3 percent and a 64.4 effective field goal percentage when hoisting off the pass.
It's no secret that a major part of OKC's offensive game plan revolves around their catch-and-shoot abilities. Last year, they ranked eighth in such shot attempts, averaging 30.7 per night, and placed ninth in points generated off such sets.
Needless to say, if they can find a seamless replacement for Joe in the rotation, it would be a major boon for the Thunder.
Fortunately, one of Stirtz's greatest strengths is his ability to stroke it off the catch, as he shot roughly 52.0 percent on catch-and-shoot looks with the Hawkeyes in 2025-26.
Perhaps the rookie may be of great use to coach Mark Daigneault sooner than many initially expected.
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