The Oklahoma City Thunder, to their benefit, have assembled the deepest roster in the NBA.
With the addition of Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, that roster has suddenly become deeper— adding an additional big man to compete with Thomas Sorber for minutes and additional ball-handling insurance to their backcourt. But with that depth also comes the need to cycle out talent.
Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe have already been traded this offseason, and it looks likely that Oklahoma City is ultimately forced to move on from Lu Dort, even after picking up his $17.7 million team option for next season. On the bright side, as these players move on from the organization, opportunities will open up for the team's depth pieces to seize bigger roles.
If Dort is gone this offseason, the Thunder will need to decide how to distribute his starting minutes. Both Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell, as strong on-ball defenders and ball-handlers, have distinct claims to the opportunity.
But Wallace, for his part, has made his desire for a starting role relatively clear. With his extension looming, the Thunder must either grant it to him, maximizing his on-court value, or prepare for his departure in the near future.
Cason Wallace deserves a starting role if Lu Dort is gone, and the Thunder need to give it to him
If Dort is ultimately traded this offseason, there will be ample debate about the merits of plugging Wallace or Mitchell into the starting lineup. While Wallace is one of the league's most disruptive perimeter defenders (and could likely replicate Dort's impact on that end of the court), Mitchell has exponentially more upside as a playmaker and downhill creator. Jared McCain, who the Thunder acquired via trade last season, is also a consideration here.
The fact of the matter is that, when you have a player like Dort or Wallace at your disposal, their impact is best maximized when they're taking on difficult defensive matchups night-in and night-out. As much of an offensive burst as Mitchell can provide, Wallace's defensive impact should key him up for the first shot at that role.
It's not as though Wallace is without on-ball potential, either. During the stretch of last season where Oklahoma City was missing both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, Wallace showed major upside offensively. In the month of February, Wallace averaged 14.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 35.1% from beyond the arc.
The primary consideration when it comes to Wallace's extension is obviously financial. The Thunder will now be paying hefty salaries to their start trio of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Chet Holmgren. Wallace could easily command a rookie extension in the range of $23-$25 million annually over four years.
In the short-term, that price might be worth it to keep Wallace in the organization. But if their long-term plan doesn't include maximizing his value by slotting him into the starting lineup, it would be wise for the Thunder to retrieve assets for Wallace while they still can.
They don't need to iron out an extension until next offseason. But Oklahoma City faces a distinct choice heading into 2026-27. They must determine whether Wallace's future is as a starter, or they must prepare for his inevitable departure.
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