The Oklahoma City Thunder have some serious decisions to make this offseason as they attempt to re-shape their roster.
While the extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams certainly pose some financial dangers, including a hefty luxury tax bill and second-apron restrictions, these challenges aren't even primarily monetary ones. The Thunder simply cannot afford to bring back their entire roster and make all three of their selections in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.
Between now and the start of next season, they'll need to slim down their roster in some shape or form, especially if they ultimately desire to get closer to the second-apron threshold.
Of course, the team options for Chet Holmgren, Lugeuntz Dort, and Kenrich Williams represent the most immediate choices to be made this offseason. But beyond that, the team has viable options to shed salary by trading either Aaron Wiggins or Isaiah Joe.
By the end of their playoff run, both Joe and Wiggins had largely fallen out of the rotation. As painful as it would be to move on from one or both of them given their skill-sets as perimeter shooters, it could quickly prove to be necessary.
If a recent mock trade drawn up by Sports Illustrated's Jed Katz is even close to a proper reflection of Joe's market, however, it's a dilemma that could quickly be resolved.
Isaiah Joe could be a majorly-coveted trade piece if he hits the market
The Thunder are brimming with talent— so much so that moving a player like Joe seems like a minor loss to their roster. For many other teams, however, Joe could be a major boon for a championship push.
Take the Houston Rockets, for example. Katz's piece outlines a trade that sends Joe to the Rockets in exchange for Clint Capela and a pair of second-round picks, although he states that it could very well take a first-rounder to get Oklahoma City to part with Joe. On the surface, this price seems relatively steep for a player of Joe's salary.
But Joe just rounded off a season in which he averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc. For a team like Houston, who were in the top-10 in 3-point percentage but took the third-fewest attempts from beyond the arc out of any team this season, a player like Joe could be a massive bench addition.
Joe has two years remaining, including a team option, on the four-year, $48 million deal he signed with the Thunder prior to 2024-25.
Wiggins' market, meanwhile, might be slightly less active if he were to be made available. He doesn't necessarily have the same defensive upside that Joe has, and his 3-point shooting has been much more inconsistent. The Thunder could also be slightly less motivated to move off of the remaining three years on Wiggins' contract.
Although the Thunder certainly aren't in dire need of extra draft capital (and they might not even have interest in Capela if Hartenstein ultimately returns), such a package for a player that has become partially redundant on their roster would be a slam dunk. If this proves to be a realistic value for Joe this offseason, Oklahoma City should pull the trigger immediately.
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