On Tuesday night, the OKC Thunder traded up a draft spot to secure the draft rights to Iowa's Bennett Stirtz. Known for his shooting ability and high basketball IQ, it was a pick born out of luxury, as OKC already boasts one of the deepest back courts in the league.
The selection indeed creates a logjam at the guard position, and it all but ensures that a longtime Thunder fan favorite will be on his way out very soon.
As if they weren't present already, trade rumors surrounding shooting guard Isaiah Joe began circulating upon the Thunder's pick. The buzz was unsurprising. After trading Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks on Sunday, it was clear that general manager Sam Presti's main goal for the offseason was to offload unnecessary payroll.
For a while now, many have suspected Joe to be next. The pick only further accentuates the idea that there is simply no longer a place for him on the roster.
Keeping Joe no longer makes financial sense for Thunder
At just over $12.3 million, Joe's salary was the sixth-highest on the team in 2025-26. The contract was well-deserved at the time of his signing, but the arrival of fellow sharpshooter Jared McCain made the Arkansas product non-essential, and his role dissolved into almost nothing.
Stirtz's presence won't do him any favors. The former Iowa guard projects as a capable shooter, with the ability to work around screens and handle the ball on occasion. While his perimeter shooting declined from his first to his second college season, he is still considered a perimeter threat entering his first NBA season.
He will join the likes of Joe, McCain, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, and Kenrich Williams as wings who currently reside on the roster. Needless to say, it's a crowded room.
Stirtz is set to make around $3.6 million in his first season, the rookie scale median for the 16th pick. The figure represents a massive discount for a player who will presumably slot in towards the bottom of the depth chart. When taking the two players' salaries into account, dealing Joe for a few assets, much like Wiggins, only makes sense.
The Thunder front office still has some tough decisions left to make this offseason, but it seems that deciding whether or not to keep Isaiah Joe will not be one of them. He has delivered many memories and timely shots for the blue and orange, and fans clearly look upon him favorably, but his tenure in OKC is all but over with Presti's decision to draft his incumbent.
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