Recent OKC Thunder Draft Picks Should Have Low Expectations Next Season

The Thunder's postseason rotation from last season is still together, and their recent picks shouldn't feel pressure to break into it in 2027.

Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the twelfth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Michigan center Aday Mara after he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma City’s roster will look a bit different next season, but some of its youngest contributors shouldn’t feel pressure to make a mark right away.

Going into the 2026-27 season, the Thunder will have some new faces on the floor. After injuries ultimately proved too much for the Thunder to overcome in the Western Conference Finals, they made some minor moves this offseason.

Sending out Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to make space for a couple of first-round picks, the Thunder’s roster appears to be set for next season. While the Thunder are a contending team, Mark Daigneault will still be ready to give roles to some of the team’s youngest additions.

Although Nikola Topic made his debut last season and played a few games, he’s still largely new to the Thunder’s rotation. That leaves him as part of a quartet of incoming contributors alongside Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz.

All four are anticipated to make an impact in some form next season, making up just over a quarter of the Thunder’s standard roster. Still, they should all have adequate opportunity to play through their mistakes and develop accordingly, at least within the constraints that come with playing for a title favorite.

As a result of playing for a title favorite, there typically might be expectations for these recent first-round picks to make an immediate impact and be ready to make their marks in the 2027 playoffs. However, the Thunder aren’t a typical title favorite, and they have the luxury of waiting beyond next season to see their young additions become a part of the postseason picture.

With the Thunder bringing back the entirety of the 11-man rotation that Daigneault used for most of the postseason, particularly the San Antonio series, there shouldn’t be any real pressure on the recent first-round picks to crack that rotation. Sure, it’d be a luxury if Sorber or Mara can show themselves capable of being playoff contributors inside, or if Stirtz or Topic can prove themselves to be playoff-ready ball handlers.

Still, that shouldn’t be the expectation. With three of the four having yet to play an NBA game and Topic’s only action coming in the same season he was fighting cancer, that group will all be entering their first full NBA season in 2026-27. 

Ultimately, the Thunder can’t wait forever for the young talent they draft in the first round to become postseason contributors, but an extra year of waiting is something Oklahoma City can easily afford.