The Oklahoma City Thunder have reportedly tendered a two-way qualifying offer to Branden Carlson, per Spotrac’s Keith Smith. That makes him a restricted free agent in July, which means the NBA champion can match any offer made towards him.
The qualifying offer is a binding one-year contract. If Carlson can’t find an NBA deal elsewhere, he’ll likely be back on a two-way deal. Brooks Barnhizer is the only Thunder player on the roster with a two-way spot. Carlson could soon be the other.
Carlson went undrafted in 2024. He spent five college seasons at Utah. The Toronto Raptors initially signed him as a two-way player. He was brought to the Thunder when he signed a standard deal to start the 2024-25 season. After that, he was waived and signed to a couple of 10-day deals before he finally ended the year on a two-way spot.
The 26-year-old showed flashes on the NBA court. Most notably, a blowout win over the Cleveland Cavaliers put his name on a national level. He also dominated in the G League as a stretch center who racked up blocks. He showed enough to warrant a second season in OKC, one way or the other.