Only a day away, the Oklahoma City Thunder will officially get things going for a hopeful nine-month marathon. Sam Presti will hold his 2026-27 preseason press conference on Thursday, Sept. 24. The annual movie-length event is the start of the upcoming NBA year.
Coming up on two decades since he took the job, Presti had an eventful summer. The Thunder said goodbye to several longtime role players. It was their first taste of reality with the NBA's hard-cap rules. Now, OKC hopes to go through a successful recast among its complementary pieces.
That said, the Thunder remain a popular title favorite. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams suffice as one of the league's best and most accomplished trios. As long as those three pillars
stay healthy, OKC will be in the middle of the title conversation.
Here are three questions Presti must answer at his preseason press conference. Always a must-watch when he talks to the media:
Cason Wallace contract negotiations
This is probably the big one of the day. Cason Wallace enjoyed a breakout year as a first-time All-Defense member. And with Lu Dort out of the picture, he'll likely be promoted as a full-time starter this upcoming season. Despite his projected uptick in role and responsibilities, he remains unsigned to a contract extension.
Wallace has been eligible for a new deal all summer. So far, nothing. The Thunder have until Oct. 19 to figure something out. Or risk him playing out the year and entering restricted free agency next offseason. It will be interesting to hear an update from Presti about those ongoing contract talks. Feels like if something materializes, it'll be at the buzzer of Opening Night Eve.
Thoughts on cost-cutting moves
For the first time with this group, the Thunder went through the hardships of the NBA's realities. You can't keep everybody around. Eventually, your roster has to change. Recent salary cap additions such as the second apron and heftier tax penalties have forced teams across the league to make controversial moves. Presti received a taste of that for the first time this summer.
The Thunder said goodbye to Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. They were all traded out East and netted seven future second-round picks. More importantly, though, it saved OKC's ownership group a boatload of money and kicked the can down the road on a second-apron year. It will be interesting to hear Presti's thoughts on the financially-driven moves. OKC fans don't want to hear about how much ownership saved, but that's a variable contenders have to deal with.
Russell Westbrook's retirement
This past summer, one of the NBA's era-defining superstars called it a career. Russell Westbrook announced his retirement after a legendary 18 seasons. The one-time MVP winner and perennial All-NBA member is one of the first names you think of when recalling the 2010s. His most successful stint was on the Thunder. He spent 11 seasons there.
The Thunder had a touching tribute social media post about his Hall-of-Fame career. Presti also released a poetic statement soon after his retirement. But that obviously won't be it in terms of how OKC honors his career. Expect him to talk more in-depth about it and the specific ways they could respect one of the greatest players in franchise history. Maybe a jersey retirement and statue?
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: 3 burning questions Sam Presti must answer in 2026-27 preseason press conference
