The Oklahoma City Thunder are in an enviable position in their rebuild, as they have too many picks in what is projected to be a strong 2026 draft class. They are on the verge of another NBA Finals appearance and have every single player on their 15-man roster under contract for next season. That gives them a draft-day problem, though it's a good problem to have and a testament to GM Sam Presti's dark magic.
NBA insider Jake Fischer brought up on The Stein Line the possibility of OKC consolidating their picks to move up in the draft, mentioning Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer as hypothetical prospects to add more size to match up better against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Alternatively, if the Thunder can't or aren't willing to consolidate their picks, Fischer adds that they've "already communicated to some agents and opposing front offices that they're very much open to moving pick No. 17."
That's significant for every team around the league, but especially the Portland Trail Blazers, who find themselves without a draft pick.
Thunder roster crunch gives Blazers chance to buy into draft
Portland conveyed its lottery-protected first-round pick to the Chicago Bulls, thanks to the Larry Nance Jr. trade in 2021. Their first playoff appearance in five years came at a steep cost, given how deep the class is and the fact that Portland must continue adding to its young core to elevate its ceiling.
A draft-day trade between the Thunder and Blazers, centered around pick No. 17, makes perfect sense as a solution to both respective problems.
Initially, the idea of trading Jrue Holiday to help the Thunder's win-now situation seemed intriguing. After all, he's the exact type of versatile, two-way guard that Presti covets. But beyond having too many players under contract, retaining the entire young core will be a major financial hurdle for OKC.
Trading up in the draft makes sense as they would have another rookie-scale player. Trading for Holiday, though, would only make their financial struggles worse, as he's on the books for two more seasons, including a $37.2 million player option in 2027-28.
Could it be as simple as swapping the No. 17 overall pick for a 2028 first-rounder (via Orlando) and some change?
The Thunder would be able to continue kicking the can down the road, stockpiling even more future assets in the process. Portland would put itself in a golden position to make up for its lost pick.
Prospects projected to go in that range include Jayden Quaintance, Hannes Steinbach, Morez Johnson Jr., and Cameron Carr. In all likelihood, at least one of these intriguing players would fall to Portland at No. 17, making it worthwhile to trade into the draft.
The first three prospects could even be potential replacements for Robert Williams III should he walk in free agency. Meanwhile, Carr would add much-needed floor spacing, which GM Joe Cronin deemed a top priority this summer.
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