OKC Thunder Big Man Depth Promising Amid Aday Mara's Preseason Breakout

The Thunder's depth inside has been a storyline throughout the offseason, and any doubts have been silenced through two preseason contests.

Oct 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Aday Mara (15) dunks against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of a preseason game at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma City has had some of the most interesting big man depth in the league over the past few seasons, and it might have finally bolstered its former weak spot.

The Thunder have been a dominant force over the past few years, earning the top seed in the West for three straight years and finishing the past two with the NBA’s best record. While the Thunder have certainly been dominant, they’ve still been far from perfect. 

One of the team’s most notable weak spots had been its interior presence. Even as the team began to improve in that area, effectively adding a new big each season from 2023 through 2025, injuries often kept Oklahoma City’s presence inside a bit lacking. 

That’s part of why the Thunder have used their first draft pick in each of the past two drafts to select a center. Thomas Sorber’s torn ACL kept him from seeing the floor last season, but he and Aday Mara should be in the fold this season. 

Although Sorber is a wild card, Mara has already shown some flashes of how impactful he could be in his rookie year. Through two preseason contests, Mara has quickly prove himself and that his adjustment to the NBA level could happen much faster than most were expecting. 

The talent was never a question with Mara, who can make an impact on both ends with ease. However, there were some questions about his ability to stay on the floor due to his conditioning, but the 2026 national champion has already showcased his improvement in that area. 

Overall, it’s tough to take much away from a couple of preseason games, but Mara being able to have this type of early success, and look ready to play solid minutes on the back half of a back-to-back should have the Thunder excited about the season. Most notably, they should be happy about what it means for their depth inside. 

Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams will all inevitably miss some time, but having Mara and potentially Sorber ready to contribute should change a bit of the dynamic. Many of Oklahoma City’s issues over the past couple of years have featured some version of it being without its bigs. Now, with some reinforcements in Mara and Sorber, those nights shouldn’t be as much of an issue moving forward. 

The Thunder’s big man rotation still won’t be perfect by any means, but it might be as close as it gets in the modern NBA.