After the nightmare of October 25, when both Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace were knocked out for potentially the rest of the season, necessary changes have been made to the Oklahoma City Thunder lineup.
At the forefront of increased responsibilities on offense and defense is Ajay Mitchell.
Without their two top point-of-attack defenders and their second top-scoring option, Mitchell will need to slot into these duties for OKC.
With just two more seasons under contract with the Thunder, this opportunity can give the sixth man a chance to break the bank in the 2028 free agent market.
In 2022, there was a very similar scenario for now Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, who capitalized on his extra duties, leading to his payday with the New York Knicks.
The comparison's there, and OKC could find itself with the unfortunate free agency fate that damaged the Dallas Mavericks just a few years ago.
Jalen Brunson and Ajay Mitchell similarities are bittersweet for Thunder
Typically, when hearing about a young star being compared to an All-NBA superstar, the excitement's uncontainable. But for the Thunder, the clock is ticking too fast.
Ajay Mitchell is on one of the best contracts in the NBA, making less than $6 million in the next two seasons, with the second one a team option.
It's nearly impossible for OKC to retain him at such a budget once he's officially up for a new deal, making it almost certain this season's breakout will break the bank for Mitchell and potentially bounce him out of the Sooner State.
Outside of the lefty shooting, Mitchell and 2022 Brunson's offensive repertoires are quite similar. Both are extremely crafty with the ball, possessing strong isolation games and operating the pick-and-roll wonderfully. Their low center of gravity makes it easy to trap defenders behind them, which leads to easy fouls being drawn and tough finishes at the rim.
Without Luka Doncic, Brunson already showed his All-Star potential. Per 36 minutes, he averaged over 22 points and seven assists with Doncic off the court in 2022. In the playoffs, it was even better, as he eclipsed 28 points per game under these circumstances.
His offensive excellence was a key reason for their surprising Western Conference Finals run.
Mitchell, in four games this season, has a plus-17.5 on-off net rating, and had 30 points against the Phoenix Suns in his first start of the year.
Continuing at this pace puts the third-year guard on a max contract trajectory that the Thunder cannot afford.
Ajay Mitchell's 2026-27 impact with Thunder
Though he may not be in OKC forever, he will be one of the premier two-way guards for the Thunder this season.
Along with his phenomenal scoring that complements Shai Gilgeous-Alexander brilliantly, his defensive play is also outstanding.
He's holding his matchups to a minus-12.4 field goal percentage difference when he's guarding them, leading to a 44.1 clip from the floor. That's the second-best mark among the Thunder's rotation players, only behind Chet Holmgren.
Mitchell has incredible strength for a guard. He has put together a well-refined combination of size and instincts that gives fans confidence that he can step up in Wallace and J-Dub's absence.
His scoring prowess and All-Defense-caliber style of play could help him make a strong All-Star push this season.
Like Jalen Brunson on the Mavs, Ajay Mitchell's extra effort won't last forever for the Thunder, but it'll be essential while it lasts.
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