What To Watch For in OKC Thunder's Final NBA Summer League Outing

Despite all three of Oklahoma City's 2026 NBA Draft selections being sidelined for its Sunday NBA Summer League finale, there are still many reasons to watch.

Apr 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Brooks Barnhizer (23) walks down the court during a game against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Oklahoma City Thunder have one final contest in the 2026 NBA Summer League before the quietest time of the NBA offseason begins. This time, none of the Thunder's three 2026 draftees will take part in the matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.

OKC is still winless during the midsummer event, playing through seven games across Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

Despite the situation at hand, there are still a few reasons to tune in and analyze OKC's summer finale Sunday afternoon.

1. Remaining Two-Way Signees Searching for Consistency

Two of OKC's three players on two-way contracts are still expected to remain active for the game. Brooks Barnhizer has had a strong showing in the summer with an increased role, and undrafted rookie guard Josh Dix is looking to finish strong in a streaky start to his pro career.

Barnhizer is averaging 11.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game through seven games. However, his 41.1% shooting overall and 25% from beyond the arc needs improvement; he is shooting 16.7% from 3-point range in Vegas.

The Northwestern product has consistently shown an ability to work hard for points on every possession with defensive upside throughout his career, but needs to improve as a shooter to stick at the highest level.

Dix has had a quiet but solid debut in the NBA Summer League. The Iowa and Creighton product has averaged 8.4 points per game on 44.4% shooting overall and 39.4% from deep.

After a slow start in SLC, Dix came alive in Vegas. The sharpshooter has scored in double-digits in back-to-back games against the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks, looking to make it a third against Brooklyn.

2. The Opportunity for a 1st Triumph

Still winless in the summer, Oklahoma City's remaining squad looks to finally reach the summit against Brooklyn. The Nets are no easy task, holding a 4-3 record across the California Classic and Las Vegas NBA Summer Leagues.

Brooklyn has an incredibly young NBA roster, with most of its summer roster appearing in games a season ago. OKC has just three players this summer who played for its NBA roster in 2025-26.

The Thunder came close in back-to-back games against the Nuggets and Mavericks, losing by 10 to Dallas and just three to Denver. They look to hold their first lead past the first half in Vegas during the finale.

Despite being the underdogs once again, a first win could always be in the cards.

3. See if Payton Sandfort and Buddy Boeheim Continue Strong Showings

Two occasional members of the 2025-26 OKC Thunder, sharpshooting guards Payton Sandfort and Buddy Boeheim, have put together strong performances in Las Vegas. The duo is poised to close out the summer with another Sunday afternoon.

Sandfort has averaged 13 points and 3.8 rebounds per game across four appearances in Vegas, shooting 43.8% from the floor. Boeheim is averaging 9.2 points per game in Vegas after playing just one game in SLC, while shooting a strong 38.1% from 3-point range.

As they and the rest of the Summer Thunder look to make NBA training camp rosters, the final in-game chance is closing in quickly.