What will Brooks Barnhizer's role be with OKC this upcoming season? Let's answer that and more questions in a Thunder mailbag.
Fresh off its first NBA championship, the OKC Thunder returns all of its rotation players for the 2025-26 season.
But OKC also has a few new faces in the mix, including Brooks Barnhizer. The 6-foot-6 forward was selected in the second round (No. 44 overall) of the 2025 NBA Draft, and he impressed during OKC's Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Summer League runs.
Barnhizer is on a two-way contract with the Thunder, which is known for developing its young prospects. Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Ajay Mitchell have all gone from two-way players to playing real NBA minutes.
So, how much is Barnhizer expected to contribute this season? That's the first question that'll be answered in this Thunder mailbag, which will also discuss OKC's plans beyond next season and more.
Email me with questions at [email protected] to be included in future mailbags.
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@MayoConnoiseur: How do you see Brooks Barnhizer's minutes playing out? Do you see him getting the same treatment that Ajay Mitchell got when he was on the two-way?
OKC is really high on Barnhizer, and it's for a good reason.
The Northwestern product checks off a lot of boxes of a prototypical Thunder player. He's a high-character guy who's all about team success. He has a strong motor. He's tough. He prides himself in his defense. And he does all of the little things like battling on the boards and making the extra pass.
Still, it'll be hard for Barnhizer to replicate the instant impact of Mitchell, who didn't play in a single G League game last season despite being a second-round pick on a two-way deal. That's not normal, and neither was the way he adapted so quickly to the NBA.
With Isaiah Hartenstein out to start last season, OKC plugged Cason Wallace into the first unit. That left the Thunder in need of another ballhandler off the bench, and Mitchell stepped up. The Santa Barbara product shot 49.5% from the field and 38.3% from deep as a rookie, and he showed the composure of an established pro by making sound decisions with the ball.
As promising of a player as Barnhizer is, I don't see him having the same impact on Day 1. Not when OKC's entire 15-man roster should be ready to go at the start of this season, with the only possible exception being Thomas Sorber. No timeline has been given for the rookie center, who's recovering from a turf toe injury.
Unlike Mitchell, Barnhizer won't need to fill an immediate role. And that's OK.
After setting the NBA record for point differential last regular season (12.9), OKC should continue to blowout teams this time around. That's likely how Barnhizer will get most of his NBA minutes as a rookie. The rest of his time will be spent in the G League, where he can work on his shooting and gain experience.
@OKC-Street-2473: How much does Sam Presti want to avoid the second apron? If we go back-to-back, will we keep both Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort for 2026-27?
I don't want to speak for Presti, but it goes without saying that all of his moves have a purpose. So, to answer your first question, it's no coincidence that OKC is in a rare position to compete for a championship right now and avoid the second apron in the future.
Check out the maximum rookie contract extensions Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams signed this offseason, for example. Each deal starts at 25% of the salary cap in 2026-27. But unlike Paolo Banchero's recent maximum rookie contract extension, which includes a 30% escalator if he's named All-NBA, MVP of Defensive Player of the Year, Holmgren doesn't have that in his contract.
Williams can only achieve that 30% escalator if he's named MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or he makes the All-NBA first team. He'd receive a lesser percentage for All-NBA second (27%) and third (26%) team.
Both deals are strategically structured so OKC can potentially save some money in the future. That's also the case for other players the Thunder has recently resigned. Isaiah Joe, Jaylin Williams, Wiggins and Mitchell are all on front-loaded contracts, meaning the annual amount will decrease over time.
And when the new deals for Jalen Williams and Holmgren kick in at the start of the 2026-27 season, OKC can save even more money. It'll have team options on Hartenstein ($28.5 million), Dort ($18.2 million) and Kenrich Williams ($7.2 million). It's also no coincidence that those contracts line up perfectly.
Now, let's talk about your second question, which is harder to answer. It really depends on a ton of factors.
Will Jalen Williams hit the 30% escalator this season? Will Hartenstein and/or Dort be willing to re-sign on more team-friendly deals? Will others such as Sorber and Wallace emerge as viable replacements for Hartenstein and Dort, thus making it easier for OKC to part ways with them?
Those are the questions that'll have to be answered, not whether OKC goes back-to-back. Even if it does win a second straight championship, some changes will have to be made. We should have a better idea of what those moves are at the end of this season.
@Colecloyd: Any rumors/rumblings of new uniforms or a redesign? Follow up, what are some of your favorite jerseys in Thunder history?
The only jersey news that should be coming out in the near future is OKC's 2025-26 City Edition uniform.
The NBA's X account made a post on Aug. 1 that teased the release for all 30 teams. This season's theme appears to be a remix of fan-favorite uniforms throughout the years.
"It's time to reconnect with your favorite uniform," the post read. "It's time to reimagine what your favorite uniform could become. ... Let the remix begin."
It’s time to RE-NEW your love for NBA uniforms.
— NBA (@NBA) August 1, 2025
It’s time to RE-CONNECT with your favorite uniform.
It’s time to RE-IMAGINE what your favorite uniform could become.
2025-26 Nike NBA City Edition Uniforms.
Let the RE-MIX begin.
Stay Tuned For 2025-2026 Nike NBA City Edition… pic.twitter.com/2l0LvpzhAH
Based on the post, which included a sneak peak of the new threads for all 30 teams, OKC's 2025-26 City Edition uniform appears to be a redesign of its one from the 2018-19 season. That turquoise uniform paid homage to Oklahoma's Native American roots.
It's definitely a fan favorite, and it's one of my top Thunder jerseys of all time. The color turquoise, which represents the 11th anniversary stone and the native color of friendship, was the perfect choice for the franchise's 11th season. There were also plenty of great details such as the belt pattern on the shorts, which is derived from a traditional sash.
I'm a fan of OKC's sunset-orange alternate jersey from 2015-17 and its blue-and-orange statement jersey from 2017-19 as well. I also have to give a shoutout to the Thunder's 2016 and 2017 Christmas Day jerseys, but not the 2014 one with sleeves. We don't talk about that one.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What role will OKC Thunder's Brooks Barnhizer have in 2025-26 season?
Category: Basketball
