The OKC Thunder Is Looking For A Complete Team, Not Just Stars

With OKC's players continuing to develop, they must make sure to continue to fill their roles.

Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) dribbles down the court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Thunder just need a great team, not necessarily great players. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are loaded with great talent. From the back-to-back Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder are in great shape for the future. It isn’t just the stars that shine bright in OKC, as the team has multiple young players who are projected to emerge as some of the league's next stars. However, the Thunder don’t necessarily need any more stars right now. 

While the Thunder would be more than happy for Ajay Mitchell or Cason Wallace to turn into an amazing player, those two guards just don’t have the room to fully blossom into a superstar on the already stacked Thunder roster. However, they have more than enough room to be exactly what OKC needs them to be. 

Wallace has been tasked with filling the starter role that Lu Dort left open this offseason, and he will be able to fill it perfectly. His lockdown defense has already become a staple of the OKC team, and while his three-point shooting might be on the rise, there is no need for it to be excessive. Additionally, Wallace will be able to lean on Gilgeous-Alexander in the backcourt on the offensive side of the game, and should let the two-time MVP do what he does best. 

Mitchell will be tasked with a bigger role this year, but within his constraints. He will be tasked with leading the second team and will most likely be on the floor in crunch time when Oklahoma City needs its best players in the game. Mitchell even has the capability to be a main scorer on certain nights, like he was in the postseason, but it won’t be the norm every night. 

Mitchell might even see his role diminished if Williams returns fully healthy, and while the Thunder will need help from everyone during the season, it’s hard to tell the All-NBA talent in Williams to step aside. 

With Mitchell and Wallace projected to have another huge leap, managing star players is a great problem to have. Any of the Thunder stars could emerge as a leader for any given game; OKC will just have to make sure that overall they produce the best team, and not just the best players. If everyone is bought in on their role, there could be no stopping the Thunder this year, and it could lead them to their second title in three years.