OKC Thunder Should Avoid Making Key Mistake in Filling Final Roster Spot

The Thunder have plenty of options, but they shouldn't wait for a veteran to come along late in the year.

Sam Presti, Thunder General Manager, has his end-of-season media access, Monday, June 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Oklahoma City Thunder have a big decision to make with their final roster spot, but it can’t rely on some midseason luck.

Over the next few weeks, the Thunder will be finishing up their preparation for the start of a new season as they look to climb back to the top of the NBA mountain. After falling to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, the Thunder have had to make some big changes this offseason. 

With more departures than additions, the Thunder have also set themselves up with some better flexibility, holding an open roster spot. While 14 standard spots and all three two-way slots are taken, the Thunder still have a big decision to make on who will eventually fill spot 15.

Earlier in the offseason, it appeared Oklahoma City had answered that question, inking Spencer Jones to a two-year offer sheet before the Denver Nuggets matched in the final hours to keep their young wing. While the Jones offer sheet gave some insight as to what Oklahoma City might be looking for when it fills that last spot, there is still considerable uncertainty about how the Thunder will fill it.

In the modern NBA, there is no shortage of options, but the Thunder should refrain from testing their luck in the buyout market later in the year. Each season, there always seems to be a small crop of veterans looking to make their way to a contending team to end the year.

The Thunder have been active in the buyout market from time to time, with names such as Derek Fisher, Caron Butler and Markieff Morris signing with Oklahoma City for the stretch run. While the success of those deals has varied drastically, it’s important to note that this Thunder team may not be the best fit for any potential veteran free agents. 

With the chemistry and youth of the Thunder being key pieces of their success in recent years, they shouldn’t jump at the opportunity to add a veteran from the buyout market, even if it may make sense. As seen by Oklahoma City’s trade for Gordon Hayward in 2024, things don’t always work out, even if it appears to be a low-risk acquisition on paper.

The last thing the Thunder need is for someone to wreck chemistry in the final weeks of the season or for Mark Daigneault to feel forced to throw a Hayward-like player on the floor when it clearly isn’t working. That thinking may lead to an underwhelming filling of the final roster spot, but a team as successful as Oklahoma City doesn’t need to rely on big midseason splashes.