OKLAHOMA CITY — Ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace's anticipated increased role in 2026-27, head coach Mark Daigneault revealed why he expects the same, and it has nothing to do with Lu Dort's departure. Instead, it's what he's seen throughout the fourth-year guard's career in Oklahoma City: consistent growth. Wallace is due for a lucrative contract extension with the Thunder sometime in the near future, albeit before the regular season or next summer.

Either way, Daigneault believes Wallace will take another leap this upcoming season, which the Thunder head coach discussed after the first day of training camp on Tuesday.

“Every year in the playoffs, in those high-stakes games, he’s looking more and more consistent, more and more comfortable, and more and more confident,” Daigneault said. “And that’s because of the summers he’s had, and the way he's moved towards it each season. Just continuing that progression. What that exactly looks like for him in terms of his game, or how he gets better, remains to be seen.

“That's why you play the games, but we have the utmost confidence in him. He's had a great summer, and he's off to a great start to his career, obviously.”

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Since being drafted tenth overall in the 2023 draft, Cason Wallace has shown steady improvement for the Thunder, which has led to an expanded role each season. After starting in 43 of 68 games in 2024-25, filling in for injured starters, he earned 58 starts in place of Jalen Williams last season.

Wallace earned a career-best 24.9 minutes per game in 2025-26, averaging 8.6 points on 47.9% shooting, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals a night for the Thunder. He was named to the All-Defensive Second Team and finished seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting.