Ajay Mitchell, Dillon Jones Show Promise in First Summer League Bout

The active Oklahoma City rookies took the Summer League floor for the first time on Monday and flashed promising potential.

From left, Ajay Mitchell, Dillon Jones and Nikola Topic stand with Thunder general manager Sam Presti during an introductory press conference for the 2024 Thunder draft picks at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, June, 29, 2024. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

The Oklahoma City Thunder competed in their first NBA Summer League competition on Monday night, falling 102-92 to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Thunder's Adam Flagler and the 76ers' Ricky Council IV each led their respective squads in scoring with 18 and 29, while Philadelphia rookie Jared McCain had a promising debut with 15 points on 6-of-15 shooting but missing all six of his tries from beyond the arc.

On the Thunder's side, their incoming rookies both started alongside Flagler. Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell, selected No. 26 and No. 38 overall, were able to showcase a bit of what they could possibly bring to this young Oklahoma City team entering the upcoming season. Jones was able to show his instinctual feel offensively as a creator, having seven assists with nine points alongside 10 rebounds on the night. He did end up committing a hefty amount of turnovers at five on the game, but still was positively impactful on that end of the floor.

Mitchell's production as a spot-up 3-point shooter paired with his four assists as a valuable defender and even flashing good processing in transition, his 14 points and three steals were highly promising to see as a Thunder fan. His effort and play style definitely seemed like it could fit the mold of a Thunder rotation -- but of course, time will tell as he continues to grow during Summer League.

As for Jones, his offensive prowess is something that already holds a good foundation, but dialing in his decision making and bettering himself on the defensive end will be something that needs to happen if he hopes to see a good amount of time on the floor for Oklahoma City next season.

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