Can OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti strike lightning twice via draft picks?

OKC Thunder General Manager Sam Presti navigated a blindside in the first days of free agency and shifted gears to secure eight first-round draft picks and four draft swaps. That’s one heck of haul considering it occurred over a six day period for just three players.

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Say what you will about Paul George’s talent he’ll be coming off a very complicated rotator cuff surgery and another surgery to his other shoulder. The fact Sam Presti nailed down the package he did for PG and also managed to add talent in the form of a cornerstone asset like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and another tradeable asset in Danilo Gallinari is remarkable.

We can debate the unnecessary move to trade Jerami Grant til the cows come home (I don’t like the trade). But the reality is he was set to hit free agency next summer and with so few elite free agents in 2020 he’ll likely be among the free agents drawing major recruitment.

Once upon a time Sam Presti took lemons and made lemonade via the drafting of three exceptional young prospects who went onto becoming MVPs. Armed with up to 14 first-round selections and four draft swaps the opportunity for Presti to write a new fairytale with a storybook ending is in place.

The question is can lightning strike in the same location twice? Science tells us it can, now it’s up to Sam Presti to prove it.