Josh Dix may already be staring at an uphill climb in Oklahoma City before the Thunder even open camp.
The Thunder added plenty of talent in the 2026 NBA Draft, landing Aday Mara and Bennet Stirtz in the first round at No. 12 and No. 16, respectively, then using their second-round pick on Kentucky guard Otega Oweh, who profiles as a possible long-term 3-and-D piece. They also brought in Creighton wing Josh Dix as an undrafted free agent, giving him a shot on a roster that doesn’t hand out opportunities easily.
That’s the catch in Oklahoma City. The Thunder are loaded, and the two-way group - Oweh, Dix, and Brooks Barnhizer this season - probably won’t see much NBA action.
Most of their minutes may come in the G-League, and each one will be fighting to keep his place with the organization as the year goes on. Dix, though, looks like the most vulnerable of the bunch.
Barnhizer has already shown some scoring ability, and Oweh has the kind of defensive upside that can make him worth stashing. Dix, by contrast, still needs real growth on both ends before he looks like a rotation-level NBA player. That matters in Oklahoma City, where the front office has three first-round picks in next year’s draft and has shown it will keep adding two-way talent when the situation calls for it.
There was reason for the Thunder to take a swing on Dix. He had a rough final season at Creighton on a messy offensive team, but he still showed enough to make teams look twice.
He averaged 13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, and finished his college career shooting 38.4% from three. At 6'5", he has the length to become a useful off-ball defender and the agility to handle screen navigation as he gets stronger.
Still, the gap between potential and readiness is obvious. The defense hasn’t shown up yet, and neither has the physicality or edge needed to battle real NBA competition. Dix put up solid numbers in Summer League, averaging 8.4 points while hitting 39.4% from deep, but he often looked overmatched in Las Vegas.
That’s why the clock may start ticking fast once training camp opens. Payton Sandfort is still without a contract after being waived by the Thunder in early July, and he could push Dix for a two-way spot if Oklahoma City decides to bring him back on an Exhibit-10 deal for the preseason.
Even if Dix keeps his place for now, the pressure won’t go away. He’ll need to show much more on defense if he wants to make it to a second season in a Thunder uniform.
Oklahoma City has just one second-round pick in 2027, but it may not keep all three of its potential first-round selections. The team could also use second-round capital to move first-round picks into future drafts, something clubs have done before.
And regardless of how that plays out, there should be at least one more two-way addition next offseason. If Dix wants to stay in the picture, he’ll have to get stronger quickly and prove he can bring real upside at this level. Otherwise, he may be looking for another landing spot sooner rather than later.
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