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    • The early return of Thunder newcomer Ajay Mitchell proves Sam Presti right
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    The early return of Thunder newcomer Ajay Mitchell proves Sam Presti right

    Idris Bevan Posted on

    Gregg Popovich was ironic in his pregame press conference, but he was right.

    When asked about the vision of Thunder general manager Sam Presti and Mark Daigneault, the Spurs coach replied that Presti made the right decision “as in many cases.” That’s why I hate him.

    Presti’s decisions have all led to this point. But one of his most recent is as pleasant a surprise to Thunder fans as any.

    During a draft that experts didn’t think would be fruitful, Presti traded up in the second round for Ajay Mitchell – an upperclassman and mid-major point guard. A two-way player who was not believed to be a member of the OKC rotation at the time.

    His return early in the season — particularly Wednesday night in the Thunder’s 105-93 win over the Spurs — changed that.

    More: Buy or sell? Examining the OKC Thunder trends after the first week of the 2024-25 NBA season

    Mitchell finished Wednesday with 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting, stabilizing the lineup without guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, giving the Thunder a real initiator to keep their offense going.

    When Daigneault was asked earlier this week whether Mitchell’s initial protocols were experimental or the result of early results, he stopped short. Daigneault liked what he saw then and he liked what he saw Wednesday.

    “There’s a lot under the surface that you might not realize about what we do,” said Daigneault, the reigning NBA coach of the year. “And we take these protocols really seriously.”

    So much so that he kept Mitchell out for more than half of the second quarter and most of the fourth quarter.

    “There’s a reason these guys are here,” forward Chet Holmgren said. “Nobody gets to this level unless they’re a high-level player.

    Daigneault cited the 5-on-5 sessions in training camp as a driving force for his early confidence in Mitchell. Unlike the rest of us, Mitchell had no expectations. It was about time or trust or playing a role on a team that didn’t seem to need him.

    That’s why he seemed so carefree in his 22 minutes on Wednesday.

    “When I came in, I wanted to make the most of it,” Mitchell said. “…And just enjoy the moment. The NBA has been like a dream since I was a kid. For me it was great to get to this point. No matter what the contract situation is, where I was selected, it didn’t really matter to me.”

    Thunder at Trail Blazers

    TIP: Friday, 9 p.m. at Moda Center in Portland (FanDuel Sports Network)

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    Idris Bevan
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