2026 OKC Thunder fan survey results: Cason Wallace should be 5th starter - OKC Thunder Wire

With the 2026-27 regular season right around the corner, the Oklahoma City Thunder enter the year as a popular title pick. Even after their summer of cost-cutting moves, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams remain one of the most successful and decorated trios in the league.

The Thunder had a league-best 64-18 this past regular season. But fell short of their back-to-back ambitions in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. Injuries played a large part in that. But that's in the past. Can't change anything about it now.

Now that the offseason is behind us and we're looking ahead to another nine-month marathon, let's rewind on OKC's biggest moves and preview what most folks believe the Thunder will do this upcoming year.

To get ready for the upcoming season, Thunder Wire conducted a 16-question fan survey. A total of 1,145 Thunder fans participated. Not every question was answered, though. The response totals for each question can be seen in the top-left corner of the pie charts.

One question was about who should be OKC's fifth starter. Everybody knows four of the five Thunder starters. It'll be Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. But the fifth? Up for grabs. Lu Dort was traded this offseason. He was a seven-year starter. Most fans think it'll be Cason Wallace.

That makes the most sense. Like John Stewart with Hal Jordan, Wallace learned under Dort for three years. And as the pseudo-sixth starter, it'd be the most seamless promotion. The 22-year-old is ready to add more to his plate. Being named a full-time starter is one of the easiest ways to do that.

You want your best perimeter defender to start games. That's how you match minutes with the opposition's best scorers. Starting Wallace gives OKC that option. He's also fine as an off-ball player. He should get funneled plenty of catch-and-shoot looks from the outside.

Mitchell is the other popular choice. But he's better suited to a Sixth Man role. He enjoyed a breakout last year as a 14-point scorer. He stepped up in the 2026 NBA playoffs as well. Running the second-unit offense will give him the keys to the car whenever Gilgeous-Alexander is catching a breather.

Now, I think Wallace should start over Mitchell. But that doesn't necessarily mean he should close over him, too. I think it'll be on a game-by-game basis. Some clutch situations will require your top perimeter defender; others will require another go-to scorer. Heck, both could be on the floor as OKC could opt for just one center.

Starting in the NBA is always a prestigious honor. And I think Wallace starting over Mitchell makes the most strategic sense, too. That said, it doesn't mean the Thunder are prioritizing one over the other. Think we'll see how that plays out in the 2026-27 regular season. Both are due for huge upgrades in role and responsibilities.