Presti: Wallace, Ajay, McCain to take more minutes

While he may not be in the Thunder’s starting lineup, Mitchell can still provide solid fantasy value. He played 24 minutes against the Nuggets, doubling his point total from Tuesday’s win over the Spurs. More important for fantasy managers were the “stocks": Mitchell tallied six steals and blocks after recording none in San Antonio. Five-steal nights are unlikely to be the norm, but Mitchell can be close to a top-100 fantasy player for a second consecutive season.

McCain was on fire from beyond the arc in this game and was able to spark some runs for the Thunder. He matched his career high for three-pointers in a game, which he also did twice during the first month of his rookie season. McCain was an excellent addition for the Thunder last season, and he’s going to continue to make an impact off the bench this year. However, managers shouldn’t be rushing to the waiver wire after this since he likely won’t have performances of this magnitude consistently.

Wallace and the Thunder had until Monday at 6 PM Eastern to agree to a rookie-scale extension, and they got it done on Sunday night. With the Thunder trading Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins during the offseason, Wallace moves into a full-time starting role. He was close to a top-100 player in category leagues last season, and that may represent Wallace’s floor in 2026-27.

McCain led Oklahoma City in scoring in just 19 minutes in the overtime win. Sam Presti already hyped him up before the preseason began, and he has shown why during the preseason, having now hit 13 triples across three games. When the team is fully healthy, his role will likely be too limited for him to make an impact for fantasy managers, but it should be large enough for him to be an important piece in OKC’s rotation.

On a night when three of Oklahoma City’s five projected starters were available, Mitchell came off the bench. Cason Wallace, the replacement in the starting lineup on most nights last season, started against the Bucks and appears likely to keep that role. However, this doesn’t mean fantasy managers considering Mitchell should panic. He showed last season that he can provide consistent category league value in a reserve role, and that shouldn’t change in 2026-27, especially with his playing time expected to increase.

Like Oklahoma City’s other projected starters, Wallace sat out the team’s preseason opener on Tuesday. He logged 18 minutes on Wednesday, dishing out six assists without committing a turnover. Wallace didn’t have a great night shooting the ball, but he did a little bit of everything else. He was the fifth starter on most nights last season when Oklahoma City was down a man, and it appears Wallace will be a full-time starter following the trade of Luguentz Dort. That makes him a more appealing option within the first 100 picks in standard drafts.

Oklahoma City recently dealt Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks for picks, and Joe is the latest in a series of moves to clear cap space. Lu Dort is another name to keep an eye on as the Thunder look to shed salary. In the meantime, the absences of Wiggins and Joe should mean more run for Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain, two players who had strong postseason performances. Joe’s fantasy stock is on the rise in Detroit, as he could be a starter or Sixth Man thanks to his elite floor-spacing abilities.

Oklahoma City’s season came to an end on Saturday, as they dropped Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals to the Spurs. And with that, the front office has decisions to make regarding the futures of Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams. Each has a team option for next season, with Dort’s being worth a little over $17.7 million. The defensive stalwart hopes to remain with the lone team that he’s played for since entering the NBA in 2019. “The conversation hasn’t happened yet,” Dort said when asked about his team option. “I have a lot of trust in this organization, in Sam (Presti). Really grateful for all the stuff he did for me to this point. I want to stay here. This organization, this city, shaped me as a player. My main goal is to stay here.” Dort has not been a consistently impactful option for fantasy managers in recent seasons. Still, his future in Oklahoma City could affect the ceilings of Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace and Jared McCain. If the Thunder were to move on from Dort, there would be an opening in the starting lineup to fill.

Making his second start of the Western Conference Finals, Wallace stepped up with his best performance of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. The Thunder guard shot 5-of-9 from beyond the arc and recorded a complete stat line. On a night when three other starters failed to score in double figures, Wallace was one of Oklahoma City’s most capable options in Game 7. Due to the team’s depth, his fantasy ceiling has been somewhat limited, but Wallace has been a solid option in category leagues. He’ll be extension eligible this summer, and a larger role could be in the cards for 2026-27, especially considering Luguentz Dort’s struggles.

After calling on Jared McCain to serve as the fifth starter in Games 5 and 6, the Thunder turn to Wallace to fill the void left by Jalen Williams (hamstring). The third-year guard started Game 4, logging 21 minutes and finishing with five points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals and one three-pointer. Wallace will look to offer greater production on Saturday, with the winner headed to the NBA Finals. Despite moving to the bench, McCain will still figure prominently in the Thunder rotation.