What To Expect in OKC Thunder’s First Preseason Game

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s first preseason game will look a lot different than what fans might have expected when the schedule was released.

Instead of getting an early look at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace and Isaiah Hartenstein, Thunder fans in Tulsa will get a chance to see some of the team’s younger players take on much larger roles.

Oklahoma City will face the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday night at BOK Center in Tulsa, with the six veterans being held out as the Thunder manage the workload of training camp. Mark Daigneault explained that the decision was largely based on the timing of camp, particularly after a high-intensity practice Sunday and with the team scheduled to play again Wednesday night against Milwaukee.

That makes Tuesday less about evaluating what the Thunder’s eventual starting lineup will look like and more about seeing which players can take advantage of additional opportunities.

Ajay Mitchell should be one of the biggest players to watch.

With Gilgeous-Alexander and Wallace unavailable, Mitchell should have plenty of opportunities to handle the ball and run the offense. After getting valuable experience during last season’s playoff run, this is a chance for Mitchell to show how much his game has developed entering his third season.

Jared McCain is another player who could see an expanded role. The Thunder acquired McCain midseason, and Tuesday should provide one of the better opportunities to see him in an expanded role and operate with the ball and alongside other players fighting for minutes.

Kenrich Williams should also be an important veteran presence. With so much of the regular rotation sitting, his versatility and experience could help stabilize a lineup that will have considerably less NBA experience than the group Thunder fans are accustomed to seeing.

Then there are the rookies.

Aday Mara is expected to make his NBA preseason debut after Oklahoma City selected the 7-foot-3 center in the first round. Bennett Stirtz and Otega Oweh are also expected to see their first preseason action with the Thunder. Daigneault specifically pointed to Tuesday as an important evaluation opportunity for those players.

That could make Mara one of the most intriguing players on the floor.

Summer League can provide an early glimpse of a young player, but preseason offers a different environment. The pace, physicality and structure are closer to what these players will experience once the regular season begins.

The Thunder also aren’t simply looking for individual performances. They will be evaluating how these younger players communicate, defend, make decisions and fit into the team’s overall system.

For a team coming off a 64-win season and entering the year with championship expectations, there isn’t much mystery surrounding its core.

Tuesday is about everything behind that core.

With six major rotation pieces sitting out, Oklahoma City will get an extended look at the players who could eventually be asked to fill smaller roles throughout the season. It may not be the version of the Thunder fans are most eager to see, but it could be one of the more revealing games of the preseason.

And for Mitchell, McCain, Mara, Stirtz, Oweh and the rest of the younger group, it is an opportunity they won’t want to waste.