Ajay Mitchell News: Excels in summer opener

Mitchell logged 24 points (10-18 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 3-3 FT), six assists, one rebound and one steal across 27 minutes Saturday in the Thunder's 92-80 loss to the Grizzlies in the Salt Lake City Summer League.

After averaging 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists over 36 appearances with Oklahoma City as a rookie, Mitchell recently agreed to a new three-year, $9 million deal with the Thunder. At least in the early going of summer ball, Mitchell looks as though he'll handle a key playmaking and scoring role in the Oklahoma City backcourt alongside 2024 first-round pick Nikola Topic (knee), who is healthy again after missing all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL. Mitchell and Topic could head into training camp essentially in a competition for a spot in a deep group of guards headlined by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and which also includes Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Joe.