OKC Thunder Fill Two-Way Contract Slots

Since Sunday, the Thunder have made a handful of roster moves.

First, the team resigned Lindy Waters III to a two-way deal on Sunday. The next morning, OKC announced that it was waiving former Rockets big man and offseason acquisition Usman Garuba.

Following Garuba's release, Oklahoma City closed out a busy 48 hours by bringing back former Blue and Thunder center Olivier Sarr on a two-way contract.

Both Waters III and Sarr have been on two-way deals with OKC over the past two seasons, but were released following the 2022-23 season. Now, Waters III and Sarr will get the chance to carve out a role in the Modern Frontier while still getting reps in the G League.

Waters III and Sarr are both good players to have in the locker room that can serve as solid practice players and help the younger players on the active roster develop under the two veterans' leadership. Additionally, with Waters III's shooting and Sarr's size, the two could earn a call-up to the active roster at some point in the season.

Regardless of any potential statline that Sarr or Waters III produces in 2023-24, their contributions will largely go unnoticed to fans, but could be very significant to the team. 

Waters III has played in 66 total NBA games over the last two seasons, averaging 6.3 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 36% from 3-point range in 15 minutes per contest. Sarr has played in 31 NBA games in his career, tallying 6.1 points and four rebounds in 17 minutes per game. 

Having two steady players with niche skills that have also been part of the organization for multiple years will be helpful in getting the younger players acclimated to life in the NBA. Sarr and Waters III are undoubtedly great representatives of "Thunder culture" due to their strong work ethic and positive attitudes.

Additionally, Waters III grew up in the Oklahoma City metro, giving the "hometown hero" another opportunity to impact the community he was once a part of.

The Thunder's third two-way spot is been reserved for versatile wing and 2023 second round pick Keyontae Johnson. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Johnson had a great outing in the Summer League, showcasing his ability to finish at the rim and his defensive acumen. 

After averaging 17.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and one steal per game while shooting over 40% from beyond the arc in his lone season at Kansas State, it would not be shocking to see the 23-year-old rookie earn a spot on the active roster early in his OKC career.

With Johnson, Sarr and Waters III penciled in as Oklahoma City's three two-way contracts, the team is in a good spot with its developmental track and has a strong group to pull from if a key piece of the main rotation suffers an injury.