After an offseason filled with disheartening cost-cutting moves, the Oklahoma City Thunder are rolling out the blue-and-orange carpet for a couple of key pieces. Ajay Mitchell is expected to add even more to his plate this upcoming season. As he's turned from a fun developmental surprise to a necessity for their title hopes.
Mitchell enjoyed a breakout season in his sophomore year. He morphed into a 14-point scorer. In OKC's Round 2 series sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, he broke out as a 20-point scorer to help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with some of the offensive burden he usually carries.
Even if Mitchell's breakout year ended prematurely with a season-ending calf strain that cost him the final four games of OKC's epic 2026 Western Conference
Finals, the sky is the limit. Regardless of whether he starts or is their designated Sixth Man, he remains a favorite to continue to ascend through his imaginary ceiling as an NBA player.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault reflected on Mitchell's offseason. He was cleared sometime in June. Since then, he went full force to make up for lost time. If he can soothe any durability concerns, there is plenty of runway provided for him to up his scoring bag and on-ball responsibilities. Especially when Gilgeous-Alexander is resting.
"He had a great offseason. First of all, he had a great playoff run," Daigneault said. "Which I think you can never underestimate the confidence that gives somebody when they are able to perform as well as he did on that stage."
The Thunder have had full trust in Mitchell since he arrived. Despite his second-round two-way status, he played real-life 2025 NBA Finals minutes. He was then jettisoned to the front of the line in terms of importance once OKC realized that Jalen Williams' hamstring problems weren't going away in the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Not only did Mitchell hold his own in his first real NBA playoff run, but he was arguably the best player in a four-game series that featured Hollywood-esque names like Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. His play on both sides of the court is something Daigneault prompted. He's not just a one-end star.
"He's to the point now where he's taken on primary matchups for us. So he gained a lot of confidence from that and then put a great summer in," Daigneault said. "Got himself healthy. Obviously, he ended the season injured. His body looks great. His game was tight. He's another guy who kind of knows who he is. He's really caught up on the pitching of the NBA game. He looks great."
Mark Daigneault on Ajay Mitchell: “He had a great offseason. He had a great playoff run… Everybody's mind goes to offense. But I mean, he was guarding Austin Reaves. He's to the point now where he's taken on primary matchups for us. So he gained a lot of confidence from that.” pic.twitter.com/fnyoQyaovd
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) September 30, 2026
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Why Mark Daigneault is impressed with Ajay Mitchell's NBA offseason
