OKC Thunder Could Continue Trend of Converting Two-Way Players in 2025-26

The Oklahoma City Thunder have developed from within, and that won’t change any time soon.

Coming off their first NBA championship, the Thunder are looking to compete for more titles in the near future. Still having one of the youngest teams in the league, the Thunder likely haven’t seen the best versions of most of their players.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has earned his title as the league’s best player after winning MVP and Finals MVP, other rising stars such as Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren still have plenty to add to their games over the next few seasons. Of course, one of the most important things for the Thunder last season was their depth.

While Oklahoma City’s star power certainly led it across the finish line, other players such as Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins played significant roles off the bench to ensure the Thunder raised the Larry O’Brien. Wiggins is one of the most interesting players on the team because of the path he took to become such an important piece of a title team.

Set to enter his fifth year with the Thunder next season, Wiggins came in as the 55th pick in the 2021 draft and began his rookie year on a two-way deal. After showing out in the first few months of his career, Sam Presti and the Thunder rewarded him with a standard contract.

That was the first of four straight seasons where the Thunder have converted at least one two-way player to a standard contract by the end of the year. Last season, Ajay Mitchell became the latest to extend the streak.

Who could be the Thunder’s next two-way conversion?

While the Thunder don’t currently have any spots open on the standard 15-man roster, they haven’t been afraid to make some midseason shakeups in the past. While nothing major would be changed with next season’s squad, someone such as Ousmane Dieng or Nikola Topic could be sent elsewhere if they struggle to contribute early.

Assuming the Thunder open a roster spot at some point, that would open the door for Branden Carlson or Brooks Barnhizer to be converted. As the only two two-way players currently signed, it seems logical that either of them could take a spot on the standard roster next season.

Considering the Thunder already have four big men on the roster, Carlson’s hopes of making it to the 15-man unit seem somewhat slim. However, if Thomas Sorber doesn’t look ready as a rookie or Oklahoma City faces some frontcourt injuries again, Carlson could certainly have his chances increased dramatically.

Meanwhile, Barnhizer would certainly need to show he is capable of playing at the NBA level throughout his time on a two-way to be considered. Assuming he can show flashes of being a solid role player and can have dominant stretches in the G League, Barnhizer could end up as another intriguing wing for the Thunder, especially if Dieng’s fate mirrors Dillon Jones’.