The Thunder signed Branden Carlson, according to a release from the team (Twitter link via NBA insider Marc Stein). The deal is a one-year standard contract, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link).
Carlson was suiting up for the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League, to begin the season. The former Utah big man spent most of the offseason on a two-way contract with Toronto after going undrafted in 2024. However, he was waived in training camp to open up a two-way slot for Jamison Battle and wound up as a G League affiliate player. He averaged 14.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field in his first three outings with the Raptors 905.
This signing comes off the heels of Malevy Leons being waived on Friday. The Thunder are using their 15th roster spot to cycle through big men while dealing with injuries in their frontcourt to Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Alex Reese opened the season on a standard deal before being waived in a favor of Leons. Now, the Thunder have swapped out Leons for Carlson.
It’s important to note that players and teams can’t agree to 10-day deals until January. So these signings are not official 10-day contracts, even if they’re being deployed in a similar fashion to them. Carlson’s deal is almost certainly structured like Reese’s and Leons’ were, making it a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary agreement. The Thunder had Reese on the roster from Oct. 22-29 and incurred a $79,804 cap hit for having him on the roster. Leons’ dead-money cap hit will come in a little above that.
Of course, the Thunder could opt to keep Carlson on the roster until or even after the league-wide salary guarantee date in January after he posted more than solid numbers in the G League. The 7’0″ center provides size and plenty of college experience as a five-year player at Utah, where he averaged 17.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on a .501/.379/.714 shooting line in his final collegiate season.
Anyone?