OKC Thunder Rookie Big Men Should Have Ample Opportunity Next Season

The Thunder have some new help in the frontcourt, and that duo should get its fair share of playing time.

Apr 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Thomas Sorber (12) before game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The frontcourt will look a bit different in Oklahoma City next year, and the additional help should be a welcome sight.

As the Thunder and the other 29 teams around the league navigate through the offseason and free agency, which is slated to start on Tuesday night, there isn’t much left on the to-do list for the 2025 champions. While some minor moves and a potential extension for Cason Wallace are still on the docket, the Thunder at least have their frontcourt nailed down for next season.

With the trio of Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams all set to return for the 2026-27 season, Oklahoma City’s center rotation could certainly look similar to the past two years. Still, the one thing that has consistently been a nuisance for the Thunder in recent years is their injury issues down low.

With all three missing significant chunks of time at some point over the past two seasons, the Thunder have been left shorthanded at the position on several occasions. Now, with rookies Thomas Sorber and Aday Mara in the picture, the prospect of being left without a full center rotation is unlikely.

While Mark Daigneault has always been a coach willing to experiment and will surely give Sorber and Mara some minutes even with a healthy rotation, his job becomes a bit easier when some bigs inevitably miss time. Considering one or both could be eventual replacements for Hartenstein and/or Williams inside, getting Sorber and Mara on the floor for significant chunks of time could be key to the Thunder’s success in future seasons.

Beyond that, the Thunder’s impressive depth along the perimeter and star power should allow the rookie big men to have a relatively long leash when it comes to playing through mistakes. Sure, Mara and Sorber won’t be getting to play 25 minutes on rough nights very often, but whatever amount of playing time Daigneault’s rotation allows for won’t be immediately cut simply because of some shaky performances.

After all, the Thunder’s goal is to win another NBA championship, and having another big man to rely on by the 2027 playoffs could be a huge luxury. And that type of luxury won’t be available whatsoever without that duo getting to make mistakes and have an ample amount of learning experiences.

With so many smart players on the roster who have championship experience, there is a wealth of knowledge for Mara and Sorber to lean on, which is an advantage many rookies around the league don’t have. Neither Mara nor Sorber will become some household name in year one, but they should both be staples in the Thunder rotation for much of the regular season.