The shelving of rookie big Thomas Sorber for the entirety of 2025-26 as a result of a torn ACL is something that certainly has left the OKC Thunder organization rather saddened.
GM Sam Presti even went as far as to say he's "super disappointed" about the situation as a whole, specifically noting that "he was playing great" in practice through the time of injury and that he was already "playing five on five and was anxiously waiting for the rest of the team to show up."
Of course, amid his heartfelt assessment of Sorber's crushing knee ailment, Presti would go on to put a positive spin on the entire situation, specifically suggesting how the closing of the door for their first round pick's campaign simultaneously opens another for last season's undrafted free agent find.
Thunder GM makes it a point to name-drop Branden Carlson
During Thursday's annual preseason press conference, Presti made it a point to shift the disparaging talk about Sorber's injury into a more uplifting conversation about sophomore center Branden Carlson, and how, in the eyes of the storied executive, he doesn't get enough recognition for his play and overall potential.
"Sometimes I don't think we talk enough about Branden Carlson. He was pretty integral to our team last season," Presti said. "He stepped up in some really big games. Again, in terms of elevating people, I thought, if you watched the lineups he was in, some of our lead handlers showed a lot of trust in him and delivered. I think he's got a bright future."
Though some may not be all that familiar with Carlson's game and under-the-radar production from last season with the Thunder, we at TI have been well aware and incredibly supportive of the 26-year-old since the early stages of his tenure in the Sooner State.
While his per-game counting stats of 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds may not necessarily scream "difference-maker" on their own, as Presti said, when thrust into bigger situations and given an increased role, the 7-footer only managed to deliver.
Whether it's his impressive averages of 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game when given double-digit minutes or his electrifying 26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks on 52.6 percent shooting from the field performance during OKC's season finale against the Pelicans, Carlson regularly raised the level of his play when given a longer leash.
After such a strong rookie showing, the Thunder opted to bring back the Utah product on a low-cost, two-way deal for his sophomore go-around, a pact that has already looked like an absolute steal following his standout performance during this year's Summer League.
It was already understood that the GM was interested in seeing Carlson develop his skills as a member of the organization moving forward. Now, with Sorber slated to miss all of 2025-26, there's a glaring back-up vacancy within the varsity team's rotation that, based on Presti's comments, could end up being filled by the second-year center.