The OKC Thunder have been one of the most active ball clubs in the association this summer.
From snatching up two first-round talents back in June's draft to striking on three separate trades to net even more draft capital and drag the team under the dreaded second apron threshold, Sam Presti and company have certainly made the most of the NBA offseason in only a matter of weeks.
Saturday, they attempted to set off even more fireworks with their pursuit of Spencer Jones, to whom they extended a two-year, $12 million offer sheet. Had all gone their way, the young 3&D wing would have filled OKC's 15 and final roster spot heading into 2026-27.
Of course, following the news that the Nuggets opted to match the proposed deal, the Thunder find themselves still one man short of a full depth chart, which, while some may view as an opportunity for them to pursue another exciting available option, in truth may lead to a far more boring reality -- the Thunder could just ride with 14 players for the foreseeable future.
Thunder could very well choose to go slow with filling final roster spot
Though it's generally the norm for teams to have all of their roster spots filled out throughout an NBA season, it's not mandatory. Having 15 players on a club is the maximum number allowed, with the minimum being 14.
Theoretically, the Thunder could simply decide to roll into the upcoming season with one bench seat up for grabs, leaving the potential for player additions completely wide-open.
This vacancy could be filled by way of a bevy of means.
By having Denver match their offer sheet for Jones, the Thunder still have the unimpeded freedom to utilize their lucrative $17.7 million TPE created by the Lu Dort trade.
The fact that they sit below the second apron also allows them to use up their taxpayer MLE, which holds a worth of roughly $6 million.
Heck, they could even fall head over heels for a prospect like second-round selection Otega Oweh, for example, during training camp and decide to elevate him to become the 15 and final man on the roster.
Though Jones would have been a highly strategic buy-low option to fill the roster spot, the forward staying in Denver gives the Thunder the luxury of even more flexibility and optionality.
Perhaps the only downside is that the wait and see approach is far less exhilarating than their previous pursuit of last postseason's top long-range sniper.
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