The calendar has flipped to August. Which means we're in the dog days of the NBA's year-round calendar. Little will happen over the next two months as teams across the league prepare for the 2026-27 season. Before we move on, though, let's reflect one last time on last year.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a league-best 64-18 regular-season record. Juggling injuries all year, they overcame notable absences all year. Alas, they fell short of a second NBA championship with a 2026 Western Conference Finals exit.
To reflect on their 2025-26 season, Thunder Wire will conduct player grades for all 20 players who suited up for them this past year. Sixteenth up is Payton Sandfort, who was on a two-way deal:
2025-26 statistics:
- 8.8 points
- 2.5 rebounds
- 0.0 assists
- 50.0% shooting
- 41.2% 3-point shooting
- 50.0% free-throw shooting
Advanced stats:
- True-shooting percentage: 63.0%
- Usage rate: 19.8%
- Win shares: 0.2
- VORP: minus-0.1
Significant Percentile Finishes:
- N/A
Contract:
- N/A
Thoughts:
Working his butt off, Sandfort achieved a lifelong dream. A late addition to their two-way spots, he made his NBA debut and enjoyed a cup of coffee in the big leagues. The Thunder added him as an undrafted rookie in the 2025 NBA draft. Because he had double-shoulder surgery, his arm was in a sling for all of Summer League. Rehab continued as the G League's OKC Blue started their season in Nov. 2025.
Eventually, Sandfort suited up for the Blue. He played in 25 games. At that level, he showed he can be a bucket-getter. He averaged 10.9 points and put up 7.3 3-point attempts. The Thunder signed him to their final two-way spot in Mar. 2026. After that, he played in four games. Mostly inconsequential as OKC locked up the first seed.
Sandfort made his NBA debut in Brooklyn and then flew back to OKC to watch his brother play at March Madness. That was one of the cooler stories of the season. He then scored 23 points in their regular-season finale loss to the Phoenix Suns. That was a nice gift to finish his year that started with him rehabbing his shoulders.
Cool to see Sandfort make his NBA debut. We'll see if he can keep those dreams alive. But if not, he'll always be able to tell folks he played a handful of games for the Thunder. All while being an undrafted rookie who had serious shoulder surgery as a knockdown shooter.
Moving Forward:
The Thunder waived Sandfort early in the offseason. They eventually filled out their three two-way spots with Brooks Barnhizer, Otega Oweh and Josh Dix. If Sandfort hopes to recapture one of those spots, he must ball out in the G League this upcoming season. He took a step in the right direction in July. Part of their Summer League squad, he lit up the gym with his outside shooting. He was one of the better stories from an 0-8 campaign. He put up scoring numbers and flexed his outside volume and range.
Nothing official yet, but I think Sandfort returns to the Blue. He should be familiar with that group as his development continues. A healthy offseason hopefully gets him on track to return to the NBA. Of OKC's three two-way spots, Dix feels the most gettable. Both are longtime collegiate players who are known for their outside shot.
I really like what Sandfort has shown since the Thunder added him to a two-way spot. There's an edge to his game. He competes on defense and is extremely animated. You love to see that from somebody fighting for their NBA dream. We'll see how the two-way guys shake out, but he's always an alternative down the road.
Final Grade: C
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: 2025-26 Thunder player grades: Payton Sandfort