Will OKC Thunder Keep Branden Carlson for Rest of Season?

Oklahoma City’s rookie big man has gotten some more run as of late, which raises questions about his future.

On Thursday, the Thunder played their first game without Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren since November. Entering the game, it seemed the Thunder would be in a better position this time with Jaylin Williams available. However, another center stole the show early.

After Williams got his first start since his rookie year, Mark Daigneault inserted Branden Carlson into the contest in the first quarter. Considering Carlson had played exclusively garbage time thus far, it was a surprising move but quickly paid off.

Carlson knocked down a couple of 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Thunder pulled away from the Cleveland Cavaliers early. A night later in Dallas, Carlson again got first-quarter minutes and soon had a block and a three.

After being viewed as a benchwarmer and G League staple, Carlson might be carving out a spot on the Thunder roster. Currently on a 10-day contract, Carlson will likely be given another 10-day deal before letting the final roster spot remain open ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

If the Thunder don’t plan to make any significant moves at the deadline, Carlson’s chances of making the final 15-man playoff roster could increase. Considering the injury statuses of Hartenstein and Holmgren, having a healthy big on the roster could be meaningful. While both will be back on the floor before the postseason, their injury histories this season alone could lead the Thunder to want insurance if either misses time again in April and beyond.

The 7-footer’s chances of making that final roster will hinge on whether the Thunder consider him more valuable than any of the other 14 players currently on the standard roster, with Ajay Mitchell being a shoo-in for a standard spot when the time comes. Given the Thunder’s roster makeup, that would leave a final decision between Carlson and Ousmane Dieng.

Dieng has been with the franchise since 2022 but has never seen much playing time at the NBA level and doesn’t look like a potential contributor, given the Thunder’s ascension to contention. However, the Thunder already picked up Dieng’s option for the 2025-26 season and have consistently seen him as a worthwhile project.

At 34-7, the Thunder’s priority clearly isn’t a project like Dieng, it’s to win a championship. The likeliest situation seems to be converting Mitchell and getting Carlson into that two-way slot. But if injuries arise again on the interior before the end of the regular season, Carlson might just sneak his way onto the 15-man roster.

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