Oklahoma City sits with an open roster spot after its flurry of moves this summer. The Thunder is attempting to flush out its roster for the 2026-27 season. A campaign that will be labeled title or bust in the eyes of most. This is a loaded team that has the top-end talent, and even after losing defensive ace Lu Dort, sharpshooter Isaiah Joe, and bench scorer Aaron Wiggins, the team still owns the deepest team with regard to playoff depth in the league.
This summer, it accomplished its goal. They have kept their main core intact with re-signing Isaiah Hartenstein, retained veteran locker room voice Kenrich Williams, and maximizing the value of their three 2026 NBA Draft pick while saving $250 million in Luxury Tax. All while netting seven second-round picks and having its young core continue to grow in Bricktown.
Now, the Oklahoma City Thunder sit with an open roster spot. The team attempted to fill the No. 15 spot on its standard contracted roster with Denver Nuggets wing Spencer Jones, inking the 3-and-D role player to a restricted free agent offer sheet of two years and $12 million before the Mile High Club matched. The Thunder have $6.9 million in space before hitting the second apron and will be taxed on any contract given out. This shows the amount of patience the team should have.
Oklahoma City is no stranger to entering into a season with an open roster spot available. It provides flexibility and allows the season to unfold with injuries and/or play on the court, allowing you to dictate what you need. That flexibility can help facilitate trades, can be used to ink buy-out options following the trade deadline, or used to convert two-way pacts to a standard contract if the Thunder's second-round pick, Otega Oweh, proves to be worthy.
With the tax implications and the added flexibility, combined with a lackluster remaining free agent market, keeping the No. 15 spot open on the Thunder roster would be wise .
Looking back on the team's title run in 2025, the season started with the likes of Malevy Leons, Branden Carlson and Alex Reese on a standard deal before eventually solidifying the spot with a Ajay Mitchell being converted from a two-way spot. This is a likely path for the Bricktown Ballers to take again. With that in mind, let's dive into three options for the Oklahoma City Thunder to fill in its roster.
1) Buddy Boeheim, G, OKC Blue
Boeheim is not the answer long-term on an NBA roster. He is a high-end G League player who has not been able to carve out an NBA role and likely never will, as he already sits at 26 years old. However, with the Thunder keeping Boeheim in the G League, on Summer League rosters, and even giving him a two-way deal for a portion of last season, it is clear the organization really values his shooting and professionalism. With his comfort level in the organization, with the system, and the work he has put in already, opening the season on a non-guaranteed deal would reward Boeheim while also not hurting the team financially and remaining its flexibility for when they need to clear the spot.
2) Payton Sandfort, G, OKC Blue
Sandfort had a solid showing in his rookie season. Coming off of double shoulder surgery, the sharpshooting guard faced injury adversity to start the 2025-26 campaign. Sandfort at the NBA G League level proved to have an NBA trait: his distance shooting. He was inked to a two-way deal a year ago for Oklahoma City before being waived last month to make room for the team's current two-way trio of Josh Dix, Brooks Barnhizer and Otega Oweh.
Sandfort stayed with the Thunder for the NBA Summer League, where he once again flashed his shooting ability for a summer squad desperate for any form of offense. While this wouldn't be a long-term option, a partly guaranteed pact to start the season on the standard roster before being waived to make room for what Oklahoma City truly wants to do with the final roster spot would be beneficial to the Bricktown Ballers.
No. 3: Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky
Oweh was selected in the 2026 NBA Draft with the No. 41 pick. He is a multi-year college prospect who broke out on the offensive end for the Wildcats this past season. Though he is billed as an NBA prospect due to his athletic ability -- he is arguably the most athletic player on the team already -- and his defensive chops. Able to dominate in transition and create those chances from a defensive standpoint makes him very appealing, especially for a team that just lost Lu Dort and has a track record of developing this archetype of player. His jump shot needs a lot of work and it will largely be the swing skill that defines if he is able to make it at this level. However, there is an argument that no matter when the team elects to ink Oweh the contract numbers will not change. It would be a multi-year deal with the years going beyond 2026-27 non-guaranteed. Though, the reason to hold off on Oweh is the idea that he might not prove to be valuable enough to put him on the postseason eligible roster and there is no reason for Oklahoma City to rush. They have the benefit of time in the 82-game season to see if his play forces their hand.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/thunder/onsi as 3 Options For No. 15 Spot on OKC Thunder Roster .
