The Oklahoma City Thunder have found some hope in the midst of an injury-riddled season.
The emergence of Ajay Mitchell, combined with the sheer depth of this roster, has made it possible for them to rattle off three straight wins while down three starters. Jalen Williams will likely miss the remainder of the season, while Cason Wallace is out until at least the end of the regular season and Chet Holmgren is scheduled to miss the next seven to eight weeks with a partially torn patellar tendon.
Needless to say, finding a competitive complexion again this quickly is a testament to the resilience and the cohesive identity of this Thunder squad.
But as Mitchell continues to prove himself as a real second option, the price tag on that extension this offseason continues to rise. Even with the moves Oklahoma City made this past offseason, that's not something that's easily accounted for—especially considering the payday that's already been cemented for Wallace and the one that's in line for Jared McCain, either with the Thunder or elsewhere.
As the Thunder's organizational decisions continue to stack upon one another, though, a pattern has begun to develop. Isaiah Hartenstein, for better or worse, is the disposable contractual asset on this roster. If (or when) the time comes, he'll likely be the first piece out the door to make room for these looming extensions.
Isaiah Hartenstein is still as valuable as ever—but the Thunder have made sure they have optionality
Under the modern CBA, it's more difficult than ever to keep a championship core intact. The Thunder escaped this past offseason relatively unscathed (and under the second apron)—the only piece they lost who was a truly integral part of their championship run was Luguentz Dort, and his decline in 2025-26 made it relatively easy to move on from him.
But if Oklahoma City is going to pay both Mitchell and McCain, the assets become much harder to strip back. It essentially comes down to Hartenstein, who's set to make $75 million over the next three years on the extension he signed this past offseason, and Alex Caruso, who's set to make roughly $60 million over the next three years.
Both of these pieces are as valuable as they've ever been to the Thunder's current championship hopes—both now and in the foreseeable future. Hartenstein provides Oklahoma City both with one of the smartest and most effective screeners and rebounders in the game, and his presence allows Holmgren, when healthy, to play more of the floating defensive role he's become accustomed to over the past couple of seasons. Caruso, meanwhile, is still one of the league's best perimeter defenders, and his clutch shooting in playoff scenarios can't be ignored in spite of his limited regular-season offensive impact.
Sam Presti, though, seems to have already tipped his hand on which way he'll ultimately go. He's selected potential replacements for Hartenstein in each of the last two drafts, taking Thomas Sorber at 15th overall in 2025 and nabbing Aday Mara at 12th in 2026.
Sorber still hasn't played his first NBA game as he rehabs from the ACL tear that took away his rookie year, but Mara is steadily developing as a real backup big option, showing improvements in his defensive intensity and versatility on a game-to-game basis. The Thunder also picked up Sorber's third-year option, meaning that they likely have some sort of plan for him in the rotation moving forward.
Presti also showed a glimpse of how he plans to handle restricted free agency for the Thunder's current young pieces, signing Wallace to a long-term extension before allowing him to enter the final season of his rookie contract. Right now, it feels like Mitchell has a real chance to approach a $30 million annual value on his next deal. He's averaged 22.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 53.6% from the field since that fateful outing against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Now, the bill for Mitchell (and potentially McCain) won't fully come due until 2028-29. But if Mara proves himself as a true option behind and alongside Holmgren in the meantime, it feels as though a move involving Hartenstein may be coming sooner rather than later—either to recoup some temporary depth in the frontcourt or simply a salary dump that brings back some additional draft capital to Oklahoma City.
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