The Oklahoma City Thunder traded away Luguentz Dort, but it created a new playing-time battle between Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell. They are now fighting for that starting gig in the backcourt. In the playoffs, Dort kept starting, but Wallace appeared to pass him in the race for playing time. The 2023 lottery pick should be the favorite to start, but Mitchell played the third-most minutes per game in the postseason behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren.
OKC has SGA, Chet, Jalen Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein locked into their starting five. The final spot was held by Dort for the last seven years. He became an elite 3-and-D wing during the championship season, but the Thunder had to cut costs with their stars getting more expensive. Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins were traded this summer to dodge the second apron, so Oklahoma City must find a new fifth starter.
Mitchell is coming off a breakout season where he finished fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. Wallace started 58 games because of injuries, which made him ineligible for the award. Head coach Mark Daigneault and the Thunder have a difficult decision. They don’t like to tax their starters until the playoffs, but both men will want significant roles and be battling for a spot in the starting and closing lineup.
Cason Wallace will battle Ajay Mitchell for minutes all season
Wallace makes sense as the starter because he is more of a 3-and-D option. He will sink open looks and play stout perimeter defense. The Thunder went 49-9 with the 22-year-old in the starting five last season. That is an 84.4 winning percentage, which topped their 78.0 percent for the entire season.
Mitchell likes to have the ball in his hands and create. He makes sense as a Jalen Williams replacement because OKC needs a scorer and offensive creator.
The 24-year-old was a second-round draft pick in 2024. He went from outside the rotation to the team's second-leading scorer in the playoffs in one year. Mitchell could make another leap that tightens this battle even further. If he is a plus shooter and commits to locking in on defense, Daigneault may opt for Mitchell’s added size and shot creation.
Cason Wallace faces a different challenge with Ajay Mitchell
Wallace and Dort have similar skill sets. It made the battle for minutes about who was performing better at the time. That is no longer the case. Mitchell has a different game. He is better than Wallace as a creator, playmaker, and scorer. Wallace is the superior defender, shooter, and role player.
This changes the equation for coach Daigneault and his staff. They now have to decide what skill set helps the Thunder most in the given matchup. Does OKC need more shot creation and offensive punch? Is it better to have the defense and floor spacing? Those are matchup-specific questions in many cases.
Both will get significant minutes when healthy. Wallace clearly wants an expanded role and should get it. SGA was the only player to average over 30 minutes per game last regular season. That may be true again as the Thunder try to gear up for a championship run.
Still, Wallace and Mitchell want to start and close games. They are competing for those minutes and trying to prove they are the right option.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have a problem that every team wishes to have. Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell are both good enough to start and close games for a championship contender, but the Thunder only have one spot available.
Expect these two to battle all season for playing time. Wallace is just going up against a new player. These fights for minutes won’t stop as long as he’s on the Thunder. Sam Presti is always adding talent and making it difficult to earn minutes. That is why OKC is the NBA’s best organization.
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