First-round picks Aday Mara (10 points, four assists, three rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes) and Bennett Stirtz (10 points, four assists, three rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes) put up decent numbers on Saturday in their Thunder debuts at the Salt Lake City summer league, but the team was overmatched by a more experienced Grizzlies group, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscriber link).

As Martinez notes, Oklahoma City is known for its outstanding team chemistry. The summer league team is just getting acquainted with each other, however.

“I think right now we’re just trying to figure out everything as a team,” Spanish center Mara said. “Our first practice together was like four or five days ago, so we’re trying to get to know each other better on the court. … I think it’s just about time and learning from each other.”

Here’s more on the Thunder:

• Brooks Barnhizer, a 2025 second-rounder (44th overall), is back with the team on another two-way contract. While he had a modest NBA role as a rookie, the 24-year-old wing had a productive season in the G League, averaging 18.2 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.3 APG and 1.6 SPG while shooting 56.9% from the field in 21 total games (33.1 MPG). The former Northwestern star knows he’s going to have to continue to work on his three-point shot to stick at the NBA level, Martinez adds. “I think my numbers shooting the ball in our facility were crazy this year,” Barnhizer said. “I’m just trying to really hammer that out. Obviously, if you want to play in the NBA, you have to be able to shoot. But also just defensively, I’m trying to be able to scale up and down. Being able to switch a lot, stuff like that.”
• Mara, Stirtz, Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber will have a chance to earn minutes in 2026/27 after the Thunder agreed to trade Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks and Isaiah Joe to the Pistons in separate cost-cutting deals. While those moves were understandable from a financial perspective, the Thunder’s vaunted depth may not be as strong as it was in the wake of the trades, since those four young players are all unproven commodities in the league, observes Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman (subscription required).
• The Thunder could benefit from the Clippers‘ trade that will send Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and several draft assets, Martinez writes in another story. Los Angeles seems worse on paper in the wake of the deal, and Oklahoma City has the right to swap first-round picks with the Clips in 2027 as part of a previous trade.