The OKC Thunder have fleshed out their championship-winning roster with the treasure trove of draft assets GM Sam Presti has accumulated over the years through elite trade negotiations.
Now, ahead of this June's NBA Draft, the folks at FanSided believe the ball club has a chance to officially level itself up into unquestioned dynastic status thanks to these assets.
In fact, per their latest mock, they're anticipating it.
In their pre-March Madness 2026 NBA Mock Draft, staff writer Christopher Kline has the Thunder shockingly falling into the first overall selection (via the rights to the LA Clippers' pick attained in the 2019 Paul George trade), where they are seen taking BYU standout AJ Dybantsa.
FanSided has Thunder taking AJ Dybantsa in latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft
As Kline put it, Dybantsa "represents arguably the highest ceiling in the draft." Based on his production thus far into his presumed one-and-done season at the collegiate level, it's easy to agree with such a sentiment.
Through 30 games played with the Cougars, the forward is boasting sensational averages of 24.8 points (leads the nation), 6.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals on a ridiculous 60.9 true shooting percentage.
As things currently stand, the 19-year-old has displayed elite slashing abilities and an effortless mid-range jumper, while his 6-foot-9 frame mixed with roughly a 7-foot wingspan and sensational athleticism makes him an exciting (albeit still rather raw) defensive prospect.
In other words, Dybantsa looks to be the ideal talent for a position-less, two-way power house like the Thunder, who, quite frankly, could use more depth at the two forward spots.
As currently constructed, Oklahoma City is tabbed as the odds-on favorite to win its second-straight title. Adding the BYU star into the mix would undoubtedly make a three-peat all the more likely (assuming 2025-26 goes as planned), and, in Klien's words, would be "a nightmare for 29 other teams."
Thunder have to hope for Clippers downfall
Though the folks at FanSided's dot com page may have hope that the Thunder could land the number one pick in this year's draft, the odds-makers are far from being as optimistic.
Simply put, the only real way for such an outcome to take place is if the Clippers have an otherworldly epic collapse from here on out.
If the regular season were to end today, Los Angeles would be partaking in the league's Play-In Tournament as the number nine seed, and, given that they've been one of the hottest teams since late December, their momentum may carry them right into the playoffs.
Of course, the majority of this heat came before the February 5 trade deadline, when they offloaded two of their cornerstone players, James Harden (dealt to Cleveland) and Ivica Zubac (dealt to Indiana). Since then, they've been floating right above a .500 record at 7-5, so perhaps they may have, in fact, cooled off, which, if true, technically keeps Klein's mock as a realistic possibility.