Chris Youngblood Should Grab Third Two-Way Spot For OKC Thunder

There aren't many questions for the Oklahoma City Thunder to answer before opening night. The team returns 99% of its championship roster from a year ago, the lone open spot? A third two-way contract, who will spend more time with the OKC Blue in the NBA G League than hitting his 50-game maximum in the NBA. These two-way contracts are also ineligible for postseason play.

With the deepest, most talented roster in the NBA, it will be hard for anyone who grabs this third two-way spot to truly find his way onto the floor against the OKC Thunder.

In training camp, the Thunder have brought in Chris Youngblood, Malevy Leons, Zach Austin, and Jazian Gortman on E10 deals in a way to battle for this third two-way slot. Though the Bricktown Ballers can also sign an external option, as they did a year ago to net them Branden Carlson from Toronto.

For the sake of discussion, let's break down the in-house candidates. Leons has a great motor and is a better rebounder than his size would indicate, but ultimately, has no NBA traits with the Thunder already owning his G League rights. The Blue just traded for Gortman's G League player rights to secure the bucket getter who led the Texas Legends in scoring a season ago. A two-way spot for him at this juncture would be a bit redundant. With all due respect to Austin, there isn't a single trait that pops in his game to crack an NBA roster.

Then, there was Youngblood.

From Kennesaw State to South Florida and finally Alabama, the rookie is no stranger to having to grind his way into an opportunity.

The 6-foot-4 guard lit up Summer League by going scorched earth from beyond the arc and helping the Thunder find consistent offense throughout the event.

That trend has continued into the preseason. Youngblood started with a bang in the exhibition opener, going 5-for-8 from beyond the arc with his quick trigger triples, excellent relocation ability, and confidence around the 3-point line.

Sure, even Dallas, the production came back down to earth, only posting 2-for-8 from distance, but the process was picture-perfect. Shooting is naturally more volatile; the shots won't always go in. But Youngblood keeps himself in a great position each trip down the floor.

The Alabama product fills the lane correctly in transition, opening himself up to knock down corner 3s or trailing triples. He also floats to open space off missed shots, getting himself in a passing window for kick-outs and second-chance points.

His quick release allows for him curling off screens and running dribble hand-offs with the Thunder's plethora of playmaking big men to be a dangerous weapon for this offense.

While no one will sell you on his defense, the compete level is there for Youngblood. He has a motor and the ability to slide his feet so as not to be a complete traffic cone on that end of the floor. A below average-to-average defender should be easy to protect in limited minutes when flanked by this defensive heavy rotation.

Yes, these are all minor skills in the grand scheme of things. Sure, he will not be a true difference maker at the varsity level or anything more than a mop-up minutes guy this season. However, these two-way spots go deeper than that.

Youngblood is the perfect player to have in the G League. Not only can this defensive-minded coaching staff mold him on that end, but the 23-year-old also elevates all of the developmental players the Thunder will send down to the minor league.

Imagine his ability to stretch the floor and cash in on triples alongside rookie Nikola Topic for a handful of games, paired with Carlson and Brooks Barnhizer for a four-man core that not only is one of the best the G League has to offer but is a cohesive unit to truly allow for clean player evaluation during their respective G League runs.

The decision for a third two-way spot is more than just talent level. Youngblood checks all the boxes.