Thunder Plans to Evaluate Young Preseason Players

Oklahoma City opens its five-game 2026-27 preseason Tuesday against New Orleans in Tulsa, with the unusual schedule featuring back-to-back games to start, a five-day break, another back-to-back and a finale in Houston. Coach Mark Daigneault says the schedule is intentional and that high-minute players won’t appear in every game; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and several other regulars are set to sit out the opener. That gives rookies and other young players—including Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz, Otega Oweh and Jared McCain—a chance to earn minutes and help fill rotation and shooting-production gaps after offseason departures. One analysis argues the Thunder should prioritize testing those players in difficult situations, even if it costs exhibition wins, while limiting the workload of key players, including Jalen Williams as he returns from an injury-disrupted season.