The Thunder Have Important Questions To Answer This Coming Season

With the team's future uncertain, OKC will have to have things go its way this coming year.

May 18, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) reacts to a shot by forward Luguentz Dort (5) in the third quarter against San Antonio Spurs during game one of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are many questions surrounding the Thunder’s season this year. 

Between the roster shakeup this offseason and the journey of getting back to the NBA Finals, the Thunder have a lot of uncertainties going into this upcoming season. Different players will be asked to step up, and new lineups will be formed, all in an effort to give Oklahoma City the best chance of going as far as possible. 

With all of the different storylines emerging, questions will have to be answered, and solutions, good or bad, will arise. But what exactly are some of the biggest challenges that the Thunder will be facing this upcoming season?

How important are the OKC rookies?

The Thunder made some big news this offseason by trading away Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort, which in turn cleared up roster spots for the two rookies that OKC took in the first round of the draft. Both of these players, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz, will be expected to see the floor early, but just how big of an impact will they have?

Mara will be expected to be another form of Isaiah Hartenstein, as the big man is good at setting up other players with his passing ability. This, along with his defensive presence, could get him on the floor early and allow him to gain a bigger role as the season goes on. 

Stirtz will be called upon to help fill the open guard roles and could be used as an off-ball scorer. OKC will be looking to him to make shots from deep and will be hoping he can develop into a key rotational piece in the future. 

Can the Thunder stay healthy?

While it isn’t always something you can control, OKC is hoping to stay away from injuries this season. The Thunder had a bad case of the injury bug last year, as multiple players missed a good portion of the year due to injury troubles. 

This issue was especially prominent in the playoffs, as Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell were unable to compete for a majority of the Western Conference Finals. If they had played, history might have been different, but because of injuries, we will never know. So as Oklahoma City goes through next season, one of their biggest priorities will be to stay healthy. 

Who earns their spot?

This upcoming season is set to have big implications for the future. OKC had to navigate salary cap problems this offseason and is going to have the same problem in the near future. Multiple players, including Mitchell, Cason Wallace and Jaylin Williams, are approaching the end of their contracts, and the organization will have to decide who stays. 

While it would be ideal for the Thunder to keep everyone around, this offseason was a firsthand example that it’s just not possible. This coming season, these players will show who deserves to stick around and who might be the next one to leave OKC.