Thunder Finalizes Roster with Key Moves Before NBA Season

Oklahoma City, OK — The Oklahoma City Thunder have made several roster adjustments as they prepare for the upcoming NBA season. On October 18, 2025, the team announced that guard Chris Youngblood‘s Exhibit 10 contract has been converted to a two-way deal. In contrast, forwards Zack Austin, Malevy Leons, and Dariq Whitehead have been waived.

Youngblood, who went undrafted from Alabama in June, previously played for Kennesaw State and South Florida. The 23-year-old averaged 10.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game over 28 appearances for the Crimson Tide last season, boasting shooting percentages of .447 from the field, .388 from three-point range, and .804 from the free-throw line.

During the preseason, Youngblood showcased his skills, averaging 11.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 19.3 minutes across three games, including a three-point shooting rate of 44.4%. His performance earned him a promotion to a two-way contract, placing him alongside Brooks Barnhzier and Branden Carlson on two-way deals.

With the recent changes, the Thunder now has a total of 18 players on their roster, including 15 on guaranteed contracts and three on two-way contracts. Austin, Leons, and Whitehead, who were also on Exhibit 10 contracts, are expected to join the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G League affiliate. They stand to earn bonuses of $85,300 each if they participate for at least 60 days with the Blue.

The Thunder’s roster is now set for the season opener, assuming no last-minute transactions occur. Head coach Mark Daigneault expressed confidence in the team’s depth and development strategy, especially utilizing the G League for player growth.