OKC Thunder May Need to Prioritize 3-Point Shooting With Final Roster Spot

Some extra shooting could go a long way for the Thunder next season.

Mar 25, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) passes out of traffic during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma City appears set to start next season with an open roster spot, but it may need to consider filling it with an outside specialist. 

Next season, the Thunder will be looking to get back to the top of the league, but they’ll look a bit different. Over the offseason, the Thunder had to make some important moves to get under the second apron and open some roster spots for their incoming first-round picks.

That meant Sam Presti had to make the tough decisions of sending out Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. While all of them had their shortcomings and had seen their spots in the postseason rotation shrink, they were some of Oklahoma City’s top 3-point shooters and takers. 

Going into next season, the Thunder still have plenty of talent as far as 3-point shooting is concerned, but adding someone who could give them more 3-point volume could be huge. Even the Thunder’s sharpshooter going into next season, Jared McCain, has a shot diet that focuses far more on the inside than Joe’s did.

With that in mind, adding someone who will come in and do almost nothing other than take outside shots when they’re on offense could be a major step in the right direction. Of course, the real challenge in that aspect could be simply finding someone who fits that description and makes sense for Oklahoma City to acquire.

For the Thunder, going into the second apron next season isn’t really on the table, so any free agent or potential trade acquisition would have to make effectively no more than Spencer Jones’ $6 million a year offer sheet. Of course, Jones would’ve been a great piece for the Thunder for a number of reasons, but the Denver Nuggets simply refused to let a player of his caliber and skillset get away at that price.

Considering that outside shooters are a bit easier to come by than 3-and-D wings who would fit like Jones, the Thunder should be ready to make a run at another sharpshooter. Also considering that Oklahoma City has seen Joe’s role diminish in the postseason over the past few years, it also needs to be fine with adding someone who might not be much more than an innings eater in the regular season.

With that in mind, the Thunder should probably hold off on filling that final roster spot until they see what they have in their four young players looking to break into the rotation. But if the Thunder decide that adding some more outside shooting is worthwhile, even if only for the regular season, it could work out quite well.