OKC Thunder Two-Way Players Set for Final Opportunity of Season

The Thunder's two-way players will be on the floor for the final time this season on Sunday.

Apr 10, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Brooks Barnhizer (23) controls the ball in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City is set for the final game of the regular season, which will also mark the final action for a trio of Thunder players.

With the best record in the league clinched once again, the Thunder will go into Sunday night’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns without much to play for. With the Suns also locked into their spot, game 82 won’t carry much weight for either squad, but it will still be an important game for a few players.

With the Thunder set to miss 10 of the 18 players on the roster, eight will be suited up, including Lu Dort, who will likely only play 20 minutes to hit his 65th game to qualify for a potential All-Defensive selection. With the other seven players made up of players who haven’t been in the shortened rotation toward the end of the season, there should be plenty of opportunities to go around.

While Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, Jared McCain and even Nikola Topic could see some postseason action at some point, the other three active players for Sunday will see their final action of the season. With two-way players ineligible for the playoffs, Branden Carlson, Brooks Barnhizer and Payton Sandfort will have a bit more to play for against Phoenix.

Although the final game of the season isn’t exactly the most important, it is one more game of NBA action for three players who haven’t seen the floor much this season. It can also serve as one final audition before heading into the offseason, which is always filled with uncertainty for two-way players.

Carlson and Barnhizer have had their fair share of moments with the team throughout the season as injuries have piled up at several points, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see one or both back on the Thunder next season. Against Denver on Friday, Carlson put up 23 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as the starting center, while Barnhizer added 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Meanwhile, Sandfort added eight points and four rebounds off the bench to help give Oklahoma City a spark. Considering he’s a more recent two-way addition and hasn’t seen much action, this matchup against Phoenix could give him some more confidence going into the offseason.

After the Thunder had converted at least one two-way player to a standard contract over the past few seasons, the McCain trade effectively filled that final spot that would often go to a two-way guy. With no playoff action on the horizon for any of the three, expect some extra juice from Carlson, Barnhizer and Sandfort in game 82.