After filling out their roster, the Oklahoma City Thunder could be forced to make another move before Opening Night. Under sad circumstances, unfortunately. Otega Oweh sustained a season-ending torn Achilles tendon in the NBA preseason.
Now that Oweh is out for the entire 2026-27 season, that puts the Thunder in a tough spot. Sure, you liked him enough to add him with the No. 41 pick of the 2026 NBA draft. But surely, you can't keep a two-way spot occupied by someone you know won't log minutes.
If the Thunder eventually waive Oweh, who could replace him on a two-way deal? The other two guys for OKC under that same contract are Brooks Barnhizer and Josh Dix. Let's look at three candidates who could eventually take Oweh's spot on the NBA roster:
Christoph Tilly
This is probably the safest pick. Reading the tea leaves, it seems like the Thunder really like Tilly. He was the first player signed to an Exhibit-10 deal. And so far, he's the only one of the original four who remains on OKC's roster. The other three were waived on Friday.
Tilley went undrafted out of Ohio State in the 2026 NBA draft. He was part of OKC's 2026 Summer League squad. He's a seven-footer who can handle and shoot the ball well for his size. Watch out for him as a realistic option to get a two-way spot.
Dariq Whitehead
By a slim margin, Whitehead remains eligible for a two-way spot. He has three years of NBA experience. The 2023 first-round pick is fighting for his basketball dream. Injuries have completely destroyed them. Recently signed by OKC, it seems like the organization likes the talent and is taking a flyer on him.
Whitehead spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. He was on a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies last year. Before that, he was putting up numbers on the G League's OKC Blue. So there's some history there. If you're looking for headlines, this is the way to go. Most NBA fans know who he is.
Milos Uzan
Sometimes, you gotta go outside of your bubble. In comes Uzan. He was one of the more decorated guys to go undrafted in the 2026 NBA draft. He should be a familiar name as he spent two collegiate seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to Houston. That's where he broke out. The Cougars have been a national title contender for the last few years. He helped with that.
Right now, Uzan is on the Boston Celtics under an Exhibit-10 deal. But the Thunder can easily swoop in and sign him to a two-way spot. That'd be a cool story as a former Sooner. Plus, he's played well in the preseason. He recently had 14 points in an OT win over the Philadelphia 76ers. And Kelvin Sampson usually has his guys ready to defend at the NBA level.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Who could replace Otega Oweh on two-way contract? Here are 3 candidates