The Philadelphia 76ers won their Play-In game over the Orlando Magic, sending them to the NBA Playoffs. However, the LA Clippers lost to the Golden State Warriors, which means they are eliminated from the postseason, and the Oklahoma City Thunder just added a lottery pick.
Had the Sixers lost, the Thunder would have had a chance at a second (late) lottery pick, but the Clippers' loss was the best-case scenario. Now, since the Clippers’ pick owed to OKC is unprotected, the Thunder have a small (but scary) chance at jumping up into the top four of the 2026 NBA Draft.
And that would be an absolute nightmare for the rest of the league.
The Warriors eliminated the Clippers from the playoffs, and the Thunder have LA's now-lottery pick
OKC is an NBA powerhouse. Obviously, it won the championship last season, and now, the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led bunch looks primed to make another serious run at a title.
However, Sam Presti has also set the Thunder up for lasting success. He has accrued a ton of draft capital, meaning OKC could have a chance to land high picks despite competing for championships year in and year out.
Just last year, the Thunder were able to take Thomas Sorber at pick No. 15 because they owned the Miami Heat’s selection, and they got bounced in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
And this year’s NBA Draft, in particular, is a special one. There is a ton of top-end talent available, and if the Thunder can get their hands on another top prospect, it would only continue to cement them as one of the top organizations in the league.
With Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren already locked up, the Thunder already have a ton og great depth. But adding another great young player would still be super helpful.
OKC has an extremely expensive roster, and bringing in a guy on a cost-controlled, rookie-scale contract would definitely help them remain competitive while also keeping things cheap.
And even though they will have to pay a bit more money if they are picking higher up in the draft, they will also (obviously) get a better player.
OKC still owns the 76ers’ pick this year. It was only top-five protected, and since the 76ers are in the playoffs now, the selection will definitely convey. But it could have been a couple of spots better had Philly been eliminated and then failed to jump up.
But again, having the Clippers’ pick is the crown jewel for OKC, because if that pick jumps into the top four, the Thunder could land Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, or Caleb Wilson.
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