The OKC Thunder continue to reap the benefits of the 2019 trade that sent Paul George to the LA Clippers. Part of the package that LA sent to Oklahoma City was an unprotected 2026 first-rounder.
After the Golden State Warriors sent home the Clippers with a 126-121 win on Wednesday, the Dubs gave the OKC another coveted first-round draft asset.
NBA insider Dan Woike, who covered the Warriors-Clippers showdown, tweeted what one scout exclaimed after Golden State’s win:
“‘F**k! OKC gets another lottery pick.”
Oklahoma City, the defending champ, already has arguably the best roster in the NBA. Many of its key contributors are young talent who are only going to get better. With another first-round pick in 2026, the rich are only going to get richer.
Where the Thunder will pick in the 2026 NBA draft will depend further on how the Warriors will do in the play-in tournament. If the Dubs beat the Phoenix Suns on Friday, the Thunder will draft No. 11. At that spot, OKC GM Sam Presti also has a 2.0% chance of winning the lottery.
If the Warriors lose, Presti will draft at No. 12 a spot that also means a 1.5% chance of getting the No. 1 pick. Last year, the Mavericks won the Cooper Flagg lottery after having the same odds.
OKC Thunder Have Another First-Round Pick From Philadelphia 76ers
Sam Presti’s impressive maneuvering and foresight didn’t just stop with the Paul George trade in 2019. In 2020, Presti agreed to acquire veteran big man Al Horford for Danny Green. As part of the deal, the 76ers sent a 2025 first-round pick and draft rights to Vasileje Micic. Presti packaged Terrance Ferguson to complete the transaction.
The pick, a top-six protected, wasn’t conveyed last year after the 76ers finished No. 3 in the draft lottery. Philly used that asset to get VJ Edgecombe.
This year, that pick was top-four protected, but following the 76ers’ 109-97 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, the Thunder finally received that pick. With Philly earning the No. 7 seed in the Eastern playoffs, the draft asset is conveyed to Oklahoma City.
Experts and scouts consider the 2026 NBA draft one of the best and deepest in years. OKC will only get richer as it can add to its already fearsome roster by acquiring first-round draft picks through Sam Presti’s savvy trades.
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