OKC Thunder should get creative with open roster spot

Oklahoma City Thunder On SI · Jul 22, 2026 20:00 · 3 min read

OKC Thunder Should Get Creative With Open Roster Spot — Sam Presti, Thunder General Manager, has his end-of-season media access, Monday, June 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Thunder are down to 14 standard roster spots after the Lu Dort trade, and they shouldn't hesitate to think outside the box.

Oklahoma City’s roster suddenly has an opening, and it should be willing to take some risks with spot 15.

The Thunder have been one of the league’s most calculated teams over the past few years. With Sam Presti running the show, the Thunder have carefully crafted a deep young team with potential to contend for championships for years to come, having already won in 2025.

However, it’s also forced some bittersweet endings to the Thunder tenures of Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe. In the second apron era of the NBA, the Thunder have been somewhat thrust into shipping out three longtime fixtures of the rotation, but all of those moves and the rest of the offseason have put Presti in position to take some small risks.

With the Thunder’s final roster spot up for grabs, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Oklahoma City enter next season with only 14 players on the standard roster. Operating with an open roster spot would be familiar territory for the Thunder, especially given how willing the team has been to convert two-way players midseason.

While Presti could hand over that spot to fringe NBA guys like he did in the 2024-25 season and/or convert one of Otega Oweh, Brooks Barnhizer or Josh Dix, the Thunder also have some intriguing options to consider. Oklahoma City hasn’t typically been a free agent destination throughout its history, but winning matters and back-to-back 60+ win seasons could be enough to interest some free agents on the market.

Given that the Thunder’s deal sending Dort to Atlanta put the team under the second apron, it wouldn’t make any sense for the team to suddenly opt to go back over. While the Thunder certainly have the assets to entice teams in a sign-and-trade, don’t expect anyone coveted such as Peyton Watson to suddenly be a target for Oklahoma City.

However, there are still some big names for the Thunder to consider, such as Russell Westbrook or DeMar DeRozan. Even a more under-the-radar prospect could be a realistic target for the Thunder, such as Spencer Jones or Trendon Watford.

Ultimately, the Thunder’s open roster spot allows for flexibility and creativity. While they could take a more traditional route this offseason, there’s always the possibility for movement at the trade deadline if another Jared McCain-like situation pops up, and the buyout market is always something to consider.

The Thunder have almost their entire 2026 playoff rotation returning and some additional young players looking to contribute next season. While the Thunder are always calculated and safe with their decisions, taking a risk with their final roster spot could be a warranted change of pace for the 2025 champs.