OKC Thunder: 2 estranged youngsters to consider trading for this summer
By Mark Nilon
When it comes to the OKC Thunder, youth is of the utmost importance for their long-term goals.
This season alone, the team consistently saw one of the youngest rotations in the association and, through the next several years, their roster is bound to consistently rank as one of the youngest thanks, in large, to their treasure trove of draft capital.
Through the year 2027, Oklahoma City will have the rights to 34 total draft picks thanks to the stupendous wheeling and dealing ways of Sam Presti over the last few seasons.
In this coming draft alone, the team will hold the rights to two first-round picks, including their own (fourth-best odds of having the No. 1 overall pick & a 52.5 percent chance of landing in the top-five) and the more favorable selection between the Houston Rockets’ (top-four protected) and the Miami Heat’s.
Though the ideal scenario for many fans would be to see the team build solely through the draft and, in turn, try to recapture the success found back in the mid-to-late 2000s when they nabbed Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden in three consecutive drafts, with the amount of capital they currently have, it’s virtually impossible that they’ll be able to utilize all of the picks.
What this likely means is, at some points in the future, the OKC Thunder front office will have to trade a few of their draft assets for, as we said, they have 34 total selections coming in the next six years and a roster traditionally only allows for 15 players at a time.
While it may be upsetting to some thinking of Presti giving up some of this capital and, in turn, forfeiting their chances of adding talent via the draft, there are ways in which they can still convert these picks into young assets that could wind up aiding in their rebuilding efforts.
This offseason, in particular, could see a few youngsters found on the chopping block and, while we at TI are not suggesting any major blockbuster transactions, there are 2 players, in specific, we believe could be worthy trade targets to pursue should their prices be favorable enough: