OKC Thunder's Branden Carlson Could be Future Rotational Piece

The two-way signing of Branden Carlson could look like a steal a few years down the road. The 7-foot, 220-pound center had the same contract last season and made an impact here and there, but was phased out of the rotation as the season came to a close.

With the future of Isaiah Hartenstein up in the air, there could be a roster spot for a backup big man in the future. That's where Carlson comes in, along with rookie Thomas Sorber.

Carlson averaged 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game this past season, in only 32 game appearances and 7.7 minutes per game. The last game of his season was a 26-point outing, going 10-for-18 from the field and 2-for-8 from the perimeter. This was a good indicator of what he could do in the future with more runs.

His recent Summer League performance was another indicator of what he can do. He recorded 23 points and seven rebounds on 9-for-13 shooting, adding two blocks as well. Carlson is a do-it-all big who can step out and hit triples, along with grabbing some boards and blocking some shots.

It seems unlikely at the moment that Carlson will play a ton this season. But it does seem like he could contribute, especially if there are injury issues with Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. That was the case at the beginning of last season and he didn't play much until the middle part of the year, so it's possible that he could get involved earlier.

Many people seem to be excited about the thought of Carlson; he just hasn't gotten proper playing time yet. It doesn't seem like that will happen this season, again, unless there are injuries.

At the end of the day, Carlson could probably play on an NBA roster. He's choosing to stay with the Thunder and develop, even though he may not receive real NBA minutes for a while. He looks like a true big man who can compete at this level and could earn his spot soon, whether it's in OKC or not.

Whether he gets more Summer League run is yet to be determined, but he certainly is one of the best players in it. If he continues to play, we may get more impressive glimpses of what he could do as a true rotational piece. For now, the Thunder faithful will have to wait for Carlson's breakout moment.