The Oklahoma City Thunder may have to shuffle their roster again before Opening Night, and this time the move would come with a tough backdrop. Otega Oweh suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon in the NBA preseason, leaving the Thunder with a two-way spot tied up by a player who will not see the floor in 2026-27.
Oweh was selected with the No. 41 pick in the 2026 NBA draft, but his injury changes the math for OKC. If the Thunder do decide to waive him, they would have a vacancy to fill alongside Brooks Barnhizer and Josh Dix, the other two players currently on two-way contracts. Three names stand out as possible replacements.
Christoph Tilly looks like the safest bet. The Thunder clearly like him, at least based on how they’ve handled the early part of his journey. He was the first player signed to an Exhibit-10 deal, and he’s the only one of the original four still on OKC’s roster after the other three were waived on Friday.
Tilly went undrafted out of Ohio State in the 2026 NBA draft and spent time on Oklahoma City’s Summer League team. At 7-foot, he brings a blend of size, ball-handling and shooting touch that makes him easy to imagine sticking around. He feels like a real candidate to land that two-way opening.
Dariq Whitehead is another possibility, and he brings a more familiar NBA name into the mix. He remains eligible for a two-way spot by a slim margin and already has three years of NBA experience. The 2023 first-round pick has battled injuries that have derailed his path, but the Thunder recently signed him, which suggests they see enough talent to take the swing.
Whitehead’s résumé includes two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, a 10-day deal with the Memphis Grizzlies last year, and a stretch with the OKC Blue in the G League before that. If Oklahoma City wants the player with the most recognition attached to the conversation, he fits that bill.
Then there’s Milos Uzan, the outside-the-bubble option who might still make sense. Uzan went undrafted in the 2026 NBA draft, but he was one of the more decorated names available. Oklahoma fans know him from his two seasons at Oklahoma before he transferred to Houston, where he broke out and helped a national title contender keep rolling.
He’s currently with the Boston Celtics on an Exhibit-10 deal, but the Thunder could sign him to a two-way contract if they want to go that route. He’s also shown well in preseason, including a 14-point performance in an overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers. And with Kelvin Sampson’s track record, Uzan arrives with a reputation for being ready to defend at the NBA level.
In Other News...
Thunder Rookie Caught In Eligibility Fight As Season Nears
Aday Mara is expected to be part of the Thunders plans when the NBA season opens, but his path to the court is tangled in a dispute that has followed him out of Spain. Basket Zaragoza says the rookie remains under contract and argues that he cannot suit up without a Letter of Clearance, putting the situation at odds with the basic assumption that he is ready to join Oklahoma City this fall.
The Thunder and the NBA have pushed back on that reading, saying clearance is not required because Maras most recent basketball stop came in the NCAA. For now, FIBA says it has not received official notification about the issue, which leaves the matter unresolved as the season draws closer and adds another layer of uncertainty to a player the Thunder are counting on to move forward. [Read more 🡒]
Cason Wallace Suddenly Feels Central To OKCs Next Big Decision
Cason Wallace keeps popping up as one of the most important internal bets on Oklahoma Citys horizon, and that matters even more for a roster built around development and flexibility. With the Thunder navigating roster changes and the financial realities that come with being a contender, the front office has leaned hard on players who can grow into larger roles rather than chase outside fixes.
Kenrich Williams added to that sense of anticipation by putting Wallace at the center of the conversation about the teams next major leap. Wallace is heading into his fourth season, and while his future with the organization still carries a layer of uncertainty, the Thunder clearly view his continued growth as part of the plan as they sort out what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Ajay Mitchell Was Almost Gone Before The Thunder Got A Core Piece
Ajay Mitchells path to Oklahoma City almost never happened the way it did. The Thunder found him in the 2024 NBA draft after he had already been on the radar for Milwaukee, and by the time Oklahoma City got to work on Day 2, it was clear there was real value to be found in the middle of the draft. What followed has quickly turned into one of those front-office wins that looks even better in hindsight, with Mitchell developing into a reliable rotation piece and a scorer the Thunder can trust.
Now two seasons in, Mitchells role is only getting more interesting. Oklahoma City expects him to carry more of the offensive load moving forward, which is a pretty strong sign of how far he has come from being a second-round pickup. For a team that builds so much around internal growth, Mitchell has already become the kind of player who can matter far beyond where he was drafted. [Read more 🡒]