After a summer of not-insignificant moves aimed at keeping the team’s budget under control, the Thunder will enter the 2026/27 season looking to regain their status as top dog in the league.

The team is not without questions to answer, though, and that is not exclusive to proving that they can find enough answers to beat the Spurs consistently. While the choice to trade Luguentz Dort to the Hawks was described by team president Sam Presti as “a financial decision,” it leaves an opening in the starting backcourt.

The options for who will be the fifth starter come down to two players, accoring to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman: Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell.

Wallace was named to his first All-Defense team last season, which makes him a natural replacement for the rugged, defensive-minded Dort. Wallace has also hinted at wanting a bigger role and is entering the last year of his rookie-scale deal. Mitchell, on the other hand, was a breakout star in the playoffs with Jalen Williams injured. He’s a solid defender, though nowhere near the level of Wallace. Where he shines is creating offense with the ball in his hands.

That could make Mitchell make more sense as a sixth-man scoring guard, while Wallace fits more neatly into the off-ball role that Dort occupied.

However, the Thunder have struggled at times, especially in the playoffs, with creating offense. Star defensive big Chet Holmgren was unable to be a consistent scoring threat against the Spurs last year, and Jalen Williams, who was hurt for much of last year’s playoff run, can be inconsistent due to his more limited ability to break down defenses in the half-court, though he has also had monster scoring performances.

The Thunder have a lot of other guards that they are trying to juggle, as Alex Caruso has become a lineup mainstay and is often tasked with closing out games, and Jared McCain brings a level of three-point volume that none of the other options can replicate. While both players are effective in what they’re asked to do, neither is a natural organizer of the offense, which could be another reason it makes sense to keep Mitchell as the reserve guard, as he is the best playmaker of the group.

We want to know what you think, readers. Who would you prefer to see take the mantle as the fifth Thunder starter? Should they consider someone other than the top two options? Let us know in the comments.