Many of the questions swirling around the Oklahoma City Thunder's financial situation this offseason have been overblown.
There's just $38 million that stands between them and the second apron. Trading one of Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins, re-structuring Isaiah Hartenstein's contract, and letting go of Luguentz Dort gets them near that mark. Of course, none of these are easy decisions to make.
But the reality is that some cuts will need to be made to the roster. The Thunder will head into 2026-27 with 15 players under contract. They're currently in possession of two first-round picks and an early second-rounder. They simply cannot make all three picks and bring back every player from this year's squad.
But the questions quickly become more granular than that. Even if Hartenstein is playing in Oklahoma City next year, one of the main questions the Thunder will need to answer in the Draft surrounds the two main center prospects— Aday Mara out of Michigan and Jayden Quaintance out of Kentucky.
If the hope is to compete with Victor Wembanyama, both would be reasonable choices at either 12th or 17th overall. But Oklahoma City already has a third center on their roster, Thomas Sorber, who has yet to play a single minute at the NBA level.
Before the Thunder can make any decision on draft night, therefore, they need to answer an uncomfortable question. What is Sorber's long-term outlook with the team?
Much of the Thunder's draft strategy hinges on Thomas Sorber
Let's assume Hartenstein returns. With Jaylin Williams still on the roster, a trio of Hartenstein, Williams, and Sorber should be more than enough juice at five-spot. Toss in Holmgren's minutes as the lone big on the floor, and that's a pretty formidable rotation.
The problem is that Sorber hasn't proved anything yet. He came out of Georgetown as a highly-touted post scorer and rim-protector, even at just 6'9". Across 24 games in his freshman campaign, Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 53.2% from the field.
In the Thunder's developmental program, Sorber has a chance to quickly become a strong rotational contributor. But he missed the entirety of his rookie campaign after tearing his right ACL in an offseason workout.
At the very least, it's worth considering a prospect like Mara. At 7'3" with a 7'7" wingspan, Mara doesn't possess the same caliber of athleticism that Sorber does. But he has a much higher defensive upside, and he was rather active offensively on a stacked Michigan roster this season.
If the Thunder are going to hold onto the 12th overall pick and take a major swing, Mara would be a worthy gamble.
But given Oklahoma City's need for additional perimeter shooting, such a selection would likely indicate that the organization had given up on Sorber. It creates an uncomfortable question for the Thunder as the Draft steadily approaches.
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