Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder probably agree: If there’s one thing that the Oklahoma City Thunder are good at, it’s finding talent in the NBA draft.
In just their second season since moving to Oklahoma City, the team was able to win 50 games and reach the playoffs. That is largely thanks to young players such as Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka, who they selected in consecutive drafts to pair with rising star Kevin Durant. The team would reach the Finals two seasons later, and Durant, Westbrook, and Harden would all go on to win the MVP and be named as All Stars multiple times.
In the past couple of years, however, the Thunder have also shown that they have a knack for getting multiple draft picks in their transactions with other teams.
After it was reported that the team traded Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for a package that includes a 2022 first round pick, it gave general manager Sam Presti and the front office a staggering 16 first round picks over the next six drafts while having more second round picks.
This stockpile of draft picks gives the Thunder several chances to select young talent from the NBA Draft starting on Wednesday in the hopes of developing future All Stars like Durant, Westbrook, and Harden.
2020 NBA Draft for the Thunder
When the 2020 Draft commences on Wednesday, the Thunder will have four picks, including two first rounders. Oklahoma City owns the 25th overall pick, which they acquired from the Denver Nuggets when they traded Jerami Grant last year. The Thunder also own the 28th pick in the draft, which they received from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the reported deal involving Dennis Schroder. In addition, they still have their own second round pick, which is the 53rd overall pick.
The Thunder added the 34th overall pick (the fourth pick in the second round) on Wednesday evening in trading for Philadelphia 76ers big man Al Horord.
2021 NBA Draft
Aside from having their own first and second round picks, the Thunder will also have an unprotected first round pick from the Miami Heat and a pick swap with the Houston Rockets. The Heat’s first rounder actually comes from the Los Angeles Clippers, which sent over five first round picks to Oklahoma City last season to acquire Paul George. The Rockets’ pick swap, meanwhile, was part of the deal to acquire Paul in exchange for Russell Westbrook.
2022 NBA Draft
As in the previous year's draft, the Thunder have their own first and second round picks in 2022. However, they also have two possible first rounders from the Clippers and the Phoenix Suns. The Clippers’ first rounder is also one of the five first round selections in the George trade, while the Suns’ pick is part of the deal that sends Paul to Phoenix. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, however, the Suns’ future first rounder is protected 1-12 in 2022, 1-10 in 2023, 1-8 in 2024 and unprotected in 2025.
2023 NBA Draft
The pick swap with the Clippers in the 2023 Draft, which is still part of the George trade, means that the Thunder will have the chance to select the best first rounder between them and Los Angeles. In addition, the Clippers also sent the Heat’s first rounder to OKC, which they acquired as part of the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to South Beach.
2024 NBA Draft
The trades with the Clippers and Rockets will continue to benefit the Thunder, where they will have control of their draft selections without pick swaps. Aside from their own first and second rounder, Oklahoma City will have another second rounder from the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the deal for the draft rights to Brandon Clarke in last year's draft.
2025 NBA Draft
The Thunder will have the right to swap first round picks with the Clippers and Rockets in 2025, which is still part of the trades for George and Westbrook. In addition, Oklahoma City still has its own second round pick in the draft.
2026 NBA Draft
And finally, aside from their own first and second round picks, the Thunder also own the Clippers’ and Rockets’ first round picks, seven years after their trades.
It remains to be seen which players will be selected using these picks, or if they will even use all of them, but it’s safe to say that the Thunder are primed to build a contender through the draft in the coming years.
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