What happened: The Oklahoma City Thunder officially signed Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz, the team announced. Both were Thunder selections in the 2026 NBA Draft, with Mara, the 7-foot-3 Michigan center, going No. 12 overall and Stirtz, the Iowa guard, landing at No. 16 after Oklahoma City traded up to get him.

Why it matters: The signings formally add two first-round rookies to a Thunder core heading into the 2026-27 season, with Mara bringing rare size to the frontcourt and Stirtz adding backcourt depth. The moves come amid a busy stretch of roster work in Oklahoma City, which also brought back Kenrich Williams on a one-year, $5 million deal.

What to watch: Watch for both rookies to make their Thunder debuts in summer league play, with their rotation roles taking shape at training camp ahead of the 2026-27 season.