The Oklahoma City Thunder have already engaged in trade discussions with multiple teams on their first-round pick with the goal of reducing team salary, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Thunder have had multiple conversations with various teams about using their No. 21 pick in a trade to reduce team salary and relieve financial pressure, league sources said.
Oklahoma City owns the No. 21 pick in the NBA Draft.
The team has approximately $106 million in salary committed to Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Steven Adams, and Jerami Grant next season, leaving it barely below the salary cap before accounting for the rest of the roster. The Thunder have a whopping $147 million in salary on the books altogether for next season, all but ensuring they will again be in the luxury tax.
Considering Oklahoma City is currently projected to sit over $15 million above the luxury tax apron, the notion that it's hoping to trade a first-rounder suggests general manager Sam Presti plans to offload existing salary by including sweeteners in potential trade packages. Veteran big man Patrick Patterson, a disappointment since signing with the Thunder in free agency two years ago, would be the easiest player for the Thunder to shed in such a deal, while Presti could also look to trade higher-salaried players like reserve guard Dennis Schroder and wing Andre Roberson, a dominant defender who missed all of last season with injury.
Oklahoma City, firmly in win-now mode, has a couple intriguing young players already on the roster, too, lessening its need to acquire relatively cheap talent with a late first-round pick. Rising sophomore wing Hamidou Diallo, for instance, could break his way into Billy Donovan's rotation next season if he makes even measured strides with his jumper.
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