In years past, one of the biggest weaknesses of this OKC Thunder squad was believed to be their lack of big man depth and overall size down in the frontcourt.
Now, heading into the 2026-27 NBA season with rookies like Thomas Sorber and 7-foot-3 lottery pick Aday Mara, they have an overabundance of options to address these departments.
Needless to say, the hope for this Thunder squad is that both can find a way to make an impact early in their respective playing careers and crack into the rotation on a regular basis to give Mark Daigneault's frontcourt more pop.
However, Jaylin Williams, personally, may be hoping to see a slower development process for the aforementioned prospects.
Jaylin Williams hoping not to get squeezed out of Thunder rotation
Throughout his soon-to-be five seasons in the Sooner State, Williams has established himself as a mainstay in Oklahoma City's frontcourt rotation and arguably the best backup big in the entire league.
Last year proved to be his best yet in the blue and orange threads, as he wrapped up 2025-26 with impressive averages of 7.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 38.3 percent from the floor in sub-20 minutes per game.
However, with the gradual rise in the Thunder's personal payroll, coupled with the arrival of two high-profile draft prospects attached to rookie-scale pacts in Sorber and Mitchell, there are already growing fears that Jay-Will's time with the club may soon be coming to an end, especially if the latter two can find a way to break out onto the scene in year one.
Now, fortunately for him, both youngsters seem to face an uphill battle on the way to securing consistent action this coming campaign.
Sorber has already hinted that he's still slowly working his way through his rehab process after undergoing his second knee operation in a span of just one year, while Mara played like a lost puppy in NBA Summer League earlier this offseason.
Of course, even with all this in mind, neither was selected in the top 15 in their respective drafts for no reason.
Sorber boasts truly elite defensive potential, while Mara is a behemoth of a man who many hope can develop into Oklahoma City's solution to stopping (or at least slowing down) Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
Still, considering their limitations at this time, along with the fact that the Thunder are soundly in win-now mode, there's a legitimate chance these two will be gradually eased into the swing of things in the pros rather than looked to right out of the gate as legitimate rotation options.
Without question, this would be the best-case scenario for Jaylin Williams as he looks to retain his status as the third big man in OKC.
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