For the Oklahoma City Thunder, this offseason has been one of necessity.
For the first time since they exited their long-minted rebuild, the Thunder were forced to make moves purely for financial reasons. They were able to duck a significant luxury tax bill by moving on from Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe in separate trades, and they'll need to bank on their influx of young talent to help replenish their depth across their rotation.
With three stars on hefty deals, this is always the reality that was coming for the Thunder. They'll need to face it again next offseason when extensions for Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain come due.
In all of this, it's easy to get lost in a sense of pessimism. The modern CBA makes it so difficult to keep a core intact that it can seem like a losing battle from the start.
But the Thunder, through it all, still hold the ultimate trump card. Bleacher Report ranked Oklahoma City first in their recent trade-asset rankings, and their lingering treasure trove of draft capital will allow them to replenish the rotation as they see fit.
It's been Sam Presti's plan all along, and it will soon be time for them to execute.
Thunder still have major flexibility as they enter a financially taut period of their dynasty bid
Navigating the treacherous waters ahead won't be easy for Presti and company. The Thunder will owe a combined $150 million to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren as soon as next season. Because they've drafted so well, it also leaves them with a number of extensions to consider. Cason Wallace's will be the primary object of attention this offseason, but McCain and Mitchell are lingering in the near future.
Bleacher Report was correct to rank Oklahoma City as high as they did in terms of assets, though. The organization has guaranteed first-round selections in 2029, 2030, 2031, and 2032, and they have potential swaps from a host of teams between now and 2029. They're also in possession of 11 second-round picks, which can be used to add two-way talent or as leverage in trades, which we saw with the McCain deal.
They also have a $17.7 million trade exception this season from the Dort deal, if they choose to use it.
But in the long-term, these draft assets leave them in a better position than many realize. It gives them paths to take swings on undervalued young players like McCain or perhaps to more integral role players like Isaiah Hartenstein or Alex Caruso. But they also have the assets to continuously move up in the draft, replenishing their stock of young talent if they choose to allow pieces like Wallace to cycle out of the organization.
Unrealized draft selections don't help teams get over the hump in the playoffs. But the name of the game in the modern NBA is sustainability, and Oklahoma City has positioned itself to keep this core going, in some fashion, far into the future.
They likely cannot hold onto all of these draft assets, and there will be some major moves coming over the next couple of seasons. But as long as this treasure trove is intact, Oklahoma City is in a flexible spot relative to what the top of their cap sheet might indicate.
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