- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,265,050
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images
Now that the Oklahoma City Thunder have done most of their offseason homework, they look about ready to start the 2026-27 season with the hopes of returning to the NBA throne. The keyword there is about. There's still some leftover business to conduct.
After the Thunder moved on from Lu Dort, they have a vacant 15-player roster spot. In the three-time deal with the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks, OKC only received back three future second-round picks and a trade exception.
With over two months left in the NBA offseason, all options are on the table. Let's look through all the avenues the Thunder could go through with the empty 15th spot on their standard roster:
Leave it open
With no real intriguing options left, the Thunder could simply roll out things as they stand. Even with the departures of Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, plenty of new faces will get a chance to prove themselves at the NBA level. As boring as it sounds, OKC's best bet to keep its title window open is internal development. The best way to do that is to conjure up playing time.
An effective way to do that is to have only 14 players on the roster. Nothing in the NBA rulebook forces OKC to have the full 15. And it has previously been comfortable starting a season with an open spot for flexibility. Of all the possible options, I think this one is the most likely.
An outside addition
At this point, if you're an NBA free agent, then expect a veteran's minimum deal or MLE. No real names spark any excitement. The options are pretty thin. If they want, the Thunder could always add a veteran to the 15th roster spot. No real harm in doing so. It's an extra body who knows their role at this point. Plenty of career journeyman are trying to extend their careers. OKC could be a viable option.
Don't expect a game-changer if the Thunder bring in an outside name. So far this offseason, it's been all about the departures. Guys like Lindy Waters III and Bismack Biyombo could fit the bill. Both have spent time in OKC before and are comfortable as a third-stringer.
Trade for player
Probably the most interesting of the options. At this point in the NBA, the only way to make true changes to your roster is via trades. Free agency has mostly died down over the years. Over the years, the Thunder have relied on trades to shake up their roster. Maybe after a summer filled with salary dumps, it could regain some hope from the fanbase by making a basketball-first move.
Nothing has to be made this summer, but keep this option in mind. The Thunder could make a move at the 2027 NBA trade deadline. All this time later, they're still pretty loaded in draft currency. Depending on how everything is going at the two-thirds mark of the regular season. They're no strangers to mid-season acquisitions. Look at Jared McCain and Gordon Hayward as recent examples.
Promote two-way player
Probably the most boring of the four options, if I'm being blunt. The Thunder will see if any of their three two-way guys can pop off and earn a promotion. Right now, that group is Brooks Barnhizer, Otega Oweh and Josh Dix. None had a spectacular Summer League. But things can always change with training camp around the corner. They'll also have the G League to build up some momentum.
Of the three, Barnhizer makes the most sense. Purely because of seniority as he's in his second season. But Oweh likely has the highest upside of the bunch. Especially if his defensive motor lives up to the hype. We'll see how things play out, but OKC has a history of converting its top two-way player to remove their NBA game limit and become postseason eligible.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: What will OKC Thunder do with open roster spot? Looking at 4 options
Continue reading...
