The Oklahoma City Thunder gave up four draft picks, including a first-rounder, to buy low on Jared McCain, and that is just how Sam Presti can maintain their depth. The second apron forced OKC to dump Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe this offseason. Depth is more important than ever, and teams can’t freely spend to acquire talent. Presti is at the cutting edge again as he continues to maximize his draft capital and spending.
McCain showed flashes as a rookie, but a season-ending knee injury cut his campaign to just 23 games. The 6’3 guard was among the Rookie of the Year favorites before getting hurt, but the 76ers drafted VJ Edgecombe and didn’t have a consistent role for McCain in year two. Presti saw the opportunity to buy a young talent on a rookie contract at a bargain, and didn’t miss it.
The Thunder have a ton of draft capital. They will keep drafting talented players like Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz, but fans know even Presti misses in the inexact science of the draft. Finding a young and talented player already showing he can help an NBA team is Presti's latest blueprint to building out the Thunder’s depth.
Jared McCain trade is just the start for the Thunder
The Thunder gave up the 22nd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and three second-rounders to land McCain. The 6’3 guard was the 16th pick in 2024, so OKC got a bargain. They are loaded with draft capital and have three stars. The Thunder want to win now and need bargain contracts around their best players.
Oklahoma City is ready to replace the three departures. Cason Wallace is the early leader to start in Dort’s former role. Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain will play more to fill in. Now, Presti is looking for the next wave to keep building up their depth.
Trading for McCain looks genius for the Thunder. They have a quality contributor making just $4.4 million this season and have a $6.7 million team option next summer. McCain is making less than Stirtz and will contribute significantly more.
Expect Presti to use this trade as a blueprint. Don’t be surprised to see him trying to buy someone like Carter Bryant or Kasparas Jakucionis if they struggle this year. Those rookie deals give the Thunder multiple years of control at a below-market-value cost, which is a must in the second apron era.
Thunder’s talent development makes this work
No NBA team is better at developing talent. Oklahoma City turned Jalen Williams from the surprise 12th pick in the 2022 draft into an All-NBA player. They made Dort a starter on a title team after going undrafted. Jaylin Williams is a second-round pick who turned into a key contributor. They are known for maximizing talent.
McCain was instantly back to his rookie production when he arrived in OKC. The Thunder put players in positions to succeed and know how to get the most out of them.
Presti buying low makes total sense. The Thunder couldn’t have used three second-round draft picks to trade up six spots in the 2024 draft, but McCain's value was depressed after his early-season struggles and fit on the 76ers. Those are the opportunities Oklahoma City will continue to look to exploit.
The Jared McCain trade gave Sam Presti a blueprint for adding young talent on their rookie contract. This allows the Oklahoma City Thunder to keep their spending in check and maintain their depth. Teams must do both to contend in the second apron era. Once again, Presti was at the forefront of figuring out how to maximize his roster. Thunder fans are not surprised.
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