OKC Thunder Reveal Starting Lineup Change vs. Bulls

The Oklahoma City Thunder are short handed tonight against the Chicago Bulls, Mark Daigneault 30 minutes before tip-off announced his starting lineup for this affair.

Mar 1, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault looks on during the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in Chicago on Tuesday evening on the front end of a back-to-back set that sees the Bricktown Ballers in New York on Wednesday for a marquee matchup against the Knicks on National Television.

In preparation for that contest, the Thunder are going into this game against the lowly Bulls short-handed tonight. Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out for this contest due to injury management, as he missed nine of the team's last 11 games due to an abdominal strain before returning to play in the past two contests. This gives Gilgeous-Alexander five more games he can miss before being ruled ineligible for the NBA's end-of-season awards, where he is currently the favorite to defend his crown as the league's MVP.

Oklahoma City is also without starting center Isaiah Hartenstein for injury management with a right soleus issue he has been dealing with for the majority of this season. All-NBA swingman Jalen Williams and Rising Star Ajay Mitchell who have been out since before the All-Star break nursing a hamstring strain and abdominal strain respectively. Thunder rookie guard Nikola Topic is also out tonight on an NBA G League assignment.

The Chicago Bulls have picked a direction. After the NBA Trade Deadline, nearly everyone blew out of the Windy City and left this Bulls team with a makeshift roster built to finally plummet to the bottom of the NBA standings as opposed to staying in the middle of the table to make an uninspiring NBA Play-in run.

30 minutes before tip-off, each coach reveals their first five with the Oklahoma City Thunder down a trio of starters in Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Hartenstein. Here is how the Bricktown Ballers will start out.

Mar 31, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) passes around Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

OKC Thunder vs. Chicago Bulls Starting Lineup

Oklahoma City Thunder Starting Lineup

• Cason Wallace, G
• Isaiah Joe, G
• Lu Dort, F
• Aaron Wiggins, F
• Chet Holmgren, C

Chicago Bulls Starting Lineup

• Josh Giddey, G
• Tre Jones, G
• Matas Buzelis, F
• Isaac Okoro, F
• Guerschon Yabusele, C

The Oklahoma City Thunder are going up against their former teammate in Giddey who has really landed a home in the Windy City as a building block for the Bulls franchise.

As the Thunder starting lineup is displayed many will point to Wiggins inclusion and the rough stretch he has been on offensively for the Bricktown Ballers. Though, this is a smart choice from Mark Daigneault. Sure, he has not played at a high level recently but OKC needs to see him snap out of this dry spell and getting reps against a lackluster Bulls squad could be just what the doctor ordered.