The 2015-16 season officially began July First, leaving behind a disappointing, injury-filled 2014-15 season.

Actually, for the sake of the future, the new season usually begins with the draft in late June. In this year's draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Murray State point guard Cameron Payne with their first round selection, and Kentucky big man Dakari Johnson with their Second round selection. In the past three drafts, including this year's, the Thunder have selected nine players total.

Of those nine players, three are rotation players for the Thunder, one is a second round European stash, two are on the Thunder's D-League affiliate, the Blue, one is no longer on the team, and the two from this season remain unsigned. While the Thunder may not be as young as they have been in previous seasons, their emphasis on developing young talent is still there.

One of the best evaluators of young talent for a team is Summer League play. The Thunder have participated in the Orlando Summer League for every season they have been in Oklahoma City, except for the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, where there was no Summer League held. The Thunder won the 2013 Orlando Summer League by going undefeated in their five games that summer. This year's team is low on NBA experience, but high on D-League experience. Here's a look at some of the narratives surrounding this year's Summer League squad. 

Who won't be playing in Orlando

After looking at the roster, there are some names that may stick out for not being on the roster. 

The first name is Andre Roberson, who was the starting shooting guard for the Thunder when he was healthy. While Roberson has an elite NBA skill as a defender, but his major flaw is his lack of any offensive skill. His three-point shot is near abysmal (25%) and his mid-range game is non-existent. Unless it is a straight line drive to the basket, Roberson struggles with generating any kind of offense.

Another name that surprisingly is not on the roster is Cameron Payne. The rookie guard suffered a broken finger during his workouts and will be held out as a precaution.

Josh Huestis, who was the first domestic draft and stash in NBA history, is out with a pectoral injury. This was supposed to be a pivotal summer for Huestis, as the Thunder decide whether to bring up the forward or keep him on the Blue for another season. 

Who stands out from the Thunder's roster

Second year big man Mitch McGary is one of only three players on the summer league roster with NBA experience, along with Marquis Teague and James Southerland.

McGary, however, is the only one who played in the league last season. McGary had an up and down rookie season, showing flashes as a versatile offensive player, but struggling to keep up on the defensive end.

Semaj Christon was the Thunder's Second round pick from last season and played with the Blue the entire season. The Thunder are extremely high on Christon and see him as a possible Third point guard in the future.

Second round pick Dakari Johnson will get a chance to show what he can do in these next 5 games. The Kentucky big man will likely be a member of the Blue next season, but the Thunder have high hopes that he could become a defensive-minded big in the league one day.

Duke guard Quinn Cook went undrafted, but has the skills to be a good backup point guard in the league. He'll get his first chance to impress the league with the Thunder in summer league. 

Unknowns to look out for

Talib Zanna played for the Thunder's summer league team last year, as a member of the Thunder during the preseason, and for the Blue during the regular season. He is a tough interior player in the Charles Oakley-type mold that gobbles up rebounds and scores in the paint. While he may be a bit undersized at only 6'9", his production on the court stands out. He's the type of player that you don't necessarily notice during the game, but when you look at the box score afterwards, he's gotten a double double.

Frank Gaines is another player that was on the Blue last season who can fill up the box score from the perimeter. If he gets hot, he can make three or four shots from beyond-the-arc in a quarter.

Richard Solomon is another big that played with the Blue last season, but was held back by nagging injuries. Completely healthy now, Solomon is another player, like Zanna, that can cause havoc on the inside with his energy and length. 

The Thunder's summer league will be coached by Thunder assistant coach Darko Rajakovic, with Mark Bryant, Anthony Grant, and current Blue coach Mark Daigneault as his assistants.