Ajay Mitchell's Big Season Could Leave The Thunder With Big Decisions In The Future

Ajay Mitchell is averaging 18.9 points per game this season on 51.7% shooting from the field for the Oklahoma City Thunder, si.com reported.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have not had a fairytale beginning to the season due to major injuries that have left their backcourt fragile. The team is expected to be without Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace for a majority of the year, or potentially the full season, according to si.com.

Mitchell was expected to step into a bigger role even before those injuries occurred. He has now taken on one of the heaviest workloads on the entire roster.

The Thunder's roster depth keeps the team competitive despite the backcourt absences. Mitchell’s production has been central to that resilience.

The young guard is currently playing on a three-year contract with a team option coming up next year. This structure allows Oklahoma City to keep him at a reasonable cost for at least one more season, si.com noted.

After that upcoming window, Mitchell will command a much higher price tag. Cap space is already a tight constraint for the organization.

The front office is currently committing substantial financial resources to maintain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Williams, and Wallace for the foreseeable future. Those major financial commitments leave narrow room to guarantee Mitchell a long-term extension.

If Mitchell maintains his current All-Star-level performance through the entire schedule, the franchise will face a difficult choice regarding his long-term future and whether he can be retained over other core pieces, si.com reported.

Mitchell’s immediate focus remains on sustaining his recent level of play for the remainder of the year and helping lead the Thunder back to the NBA Finals.