OKC Thunder Sign Branden Carlson to Two-Way Contract
The Oklahoma City Thunder have re-signed Branden Carlson to a two-way contract, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Despite having their 15-man roster set, the Thunder still had some decisions to make ahead of their summer league matchup with the Utah Jazz. Prior to Tuesday, only Brooks Barnhizer had officially signed one of the team’s three available two-way deals. However, it seemed likely that the 7-foot center from Utah, Branden Carlson, would return after Oklahoma City extended him a qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent.
As confirmed on Tuesday night, Carlson will be back with the Thunder on a two-way deal for the 2025-26 season.
This move leaves the Thunder with just one remaining open two-way contract as they finalize their roster before the regular season begins in October.
Carlson, who was listed on the Thunder’s summer league roster, has yet to appear in games for reasons that remain unclear. At 26 years old, he’s now officially part of the team’s plans moving forward.
On a two-way contract, Carlson will mainly play for the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the OKC Blue, where he was one of the top big men last season. Though his primary role will be with the Blue, he’s also shown he can step up when needed at the NBA level.
In 32 games for Oklahoma City last season, Carlson played significant minutes in three, scoring 10 or more points in each of those contests. His best performance came during a stretch when the Thunder were battling injuries, including a strong game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In that match, Carlson contributed 11 points, four rebounds, a block, and hit three 3-pointers.
For the season, he averaged 3.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 0.9 stocks (steals + blocks) while shooting 44% from the field, 33% from three, and 77% from the free-throw line.
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