Ajay Mitchell's Outside Shooting Development Could be Crucial for OKC Thunder

The Thunder's rising star could make a big difference from beyond the arc.

Mar 9, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) talks to the bench after a play against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Next season will be an interesting one in Oklahoma City, and it needs its rising star guard to become more reliable from beyond the arc.

Over the past week, the Thunder have made some key moves to define the offseason and paint a clearer picture of what the 2026-27 season might look like. Along with extending Isaiah Hartenstein and shipping out Aaron Wiggins, the Thunder dealt Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons.

After spending the past four seasons as the Thunder’s top sharpshooter, Joe’s lack of playoff success and the team’s desire to dip under the second apron left him as an odd man out. While Jared McCain is more or less anticipated to fill the sharpshooting void left by Joe’s departure, Oklahoma City will also be looking to some others for that shooting punch.

Among those in the mix to take a leap from beyond the arc is Ajay Mitchell. After having a breakout year two in which he averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 assists and finished top five in Sixth Man of the Year voting, Mitchell is expected to have another stellar year next season.

While it’s hard to pinpoint many flaws within his game, his outside shot still has some room for improvement. After nailing 38.3% of his 1.7 outside shots a night as a rookie, that dipped to 34.7% in year two while increasing his volume to 3.1 shots from beyond the arc per game. With that dipping to 32.5% on 3.6 outside shots in the 2026 playoffs, Mitchell’s shooting touch could be his next big leap.

Already an established driver and a walking paint touch, Mitchell’s outside shot could be what takes him from an elite sixth man to the type of player who has legitimate All-Star potential. While Mitchell could certainly improve on his threes above the break, getting his 40.4% mark on corner threes up a bit more could be huge.

Assuming Jalen Williams can stay healthy next season alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell might be in a position to take substantially more shots from the corner next season after those shots made up only 26.7% of his 3-point diet. Without Joe around, the Thunder will need others to step up and become threats from beyond the arc, especially those who are already penciled into the postseason rotation like Mitchell.

It would be unrealistic to expect Mitchell to suddenly become an elite outside shooter, but turning his 3-point shot from a small weakness into a legitimate strength would be massive for both Mitchell and the Thunder.