OKC Thunder Trades and Transaction Thread

[Kizz Fastfists]

The extensions for Holmgren and Williams won't be cheap and they will begin a year from now, which will be the final (club option) year of Dort's current deal. Wallace gets his extension the year after that. We probably have one year before we are forced to make some tough decisions.

There is a huge variance on where those extensions can land. I'd been thinking of them as 25% of the cap, but with JDub making an all-NBA team this year it is possible he ends up getting 30% of the cap. That's a $8.5M swing. If Chet were to win DPOY next year and they both get 30% extensions it will make things very interesting. I assume OKC is going into the tax for '26-'27. I've assumed that for a long time as that is when the extensions come due and the team went into the tax for much worse teams in the past. How much tax will they take on? I have no clue.

I think the best course of action is actually to trade Jones and Dieng and use both draft picks. Grab a big man and a 3&D player. Hope your big man is developed enough to take over for IH in '27-'28 and your 3&D is ready for a decent role in '26-'27 when your cap potentially forces you to clear Caruso or Dort. Personally, I expect them to extend Dort and trade Caruso if the number crunch gets to where it is pick one. Part of that is I think Dort is likely to sign for less than Caruso did or at least the same and if you make pick between them I'm taking Dort...this is from someone who until very recently had a very low opinion of Dort.

[bbms]

Credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1l1lbll/can_okc_get_under_the_2nd_apron_in_2027_to/

with max handed.

there's a few uknown quantities there: ajay and jaylin probably extended through 2026/27. that should leave the thunder roughly around 40 mm above second apron assuming 2 rookies and jayilin williams/ajay or 3 rookies + ajay (i'm betting 3)

considerations:
- potential trade incoming for jaylin williams? jaylin for bucks 2031 srp and draft a c (nice class)?
- they can duck it by opting out of hartenstein + isaiah joe contracts or dort + isaiah joe + kenrich + dillon jones (with caruso and wiggins as option by trade)
- this imo highlights the necessity of drafted players on a rookie scale actually performing, since we'll have to deplete depth to duck 2nd apron in 26/27
- 27/28 2nd apron seems inevitable. 28/29 there's an opt out clause of the current CBA .

[spearsy23]

In the draft I think we should try to draft a bigger two-way forward and a center that can develop to replace IHart once his contract is up in another season.

We don’t have 2 roster spot unless you move both Dillon and Dieng . But if you do move both you should be targeting one spot for an immediate rotation help given wiggins / joe haven’t been consistent in the playoffs

You're unlikely to get a 8th/9th man who are going to consistently produce in the playoffs, especially when Mark isn't consistent with the rotations. That's the benefit of having Joe/Wiggins though, they're both capable of producing and if they aren't you can go to the other one.

[bbms]

In the draft I think we should try to draft a bigger two-way forward and a center that can develop to replace IHart once his contract is up in another season.

We don’t have 2 roster spot unless you move both Dillon and Dieng . But if you do move both you should be targeting one spot for an immediate rotation help given wiggins / joe haven’t been consistent in the playoffs

You're unlikely to get a 8th/9th man who are going to consistently produce in the playoffs, especially when Mark isn't consistent with the rotations. That's the benefit of having Joe/Wiggins though, they're both capable of producing and if they aren't you can go to the other one.

joe is unplayable this finals. he checks in, indy starts drilling him with their full arsenal and he folds.

[Kizz Fastfists]

joe is unplayable this finals. he checks in, indy starts drilling him with their full arsenal and he folds.

Joe is unplayable, but the Thunder win the minutes he is on the court. This does not make any sense to anyone that wants OKC to win. The only game OKC didn't win the minutes Joe was on the court was game 3 when the teams played even during those minutes. There are only two players on the roster who can say OKC has not lost their playing time in any game of the series and that is Chet and Joe. Tell me the goal is not to win the scoreboard and I'll agree that Joe is unplayable. As long the only thing that matters is winning the scoreboard Joe is very playable. Winning ugly is always better than losing pretty.

[spearsy23]

It feels really weird not being plugged in to the draft talk at all in the middle of June. I couldn't even name prospects outside of Flagg/Harper/Bailey/Fears

[bbms]

jake fischer reported that the thunder is among the teams (nets 19, 26 and 27 and orl 16 and 25) trying to move up.

i think they obviously love murray-boyles and cedric coward, but i think there's a good chance they also love kon knueppel, which are obviously prospects that gms without presti's job security might chicken out of picking.

[Devilanche]

Same . No clue who I really really want but ok to move up , move down , move out.

[Kizz Fastfists]

I'd like to get Maluach, but I don't think that is realistic due to how far they would probably need to move up. Knueppel is similar, I would like him as a 3&D wing, but he probably isn't in their range for trading up. Essengue, Beringer, Wolf and Flemming are some guys I like. Yes, as has been the case the last few years most of the guys I like are big men. They had Wolf in for a workout so there is a chance for that.

The one prospect I absolutely do not want is Murray-Boyles. He can't stretch the floor and will clog up the paint. I guess they could see him as a small ball 5 with some ball handling skills, but I don't like it. This pretty much guarantees that Presti will trade up and draft him just to upset me.

I think the draft might tell us what else Presti has in store for the off-season. If he drafts a young prospect that needs to develop I think that will indicate he is keeping the rotation mostly together. If he pulls off getting Knueppel or another 3&D type of wing I think that will indicate that he is going to be making a consolidation trade. A 3&D wing is typically able to contribute as a rookie, i.e. Cason, so there would probably need to be some minutes cleared up since I am expecting Topic to have a decent sized role next year as the primary ball handler off the bench and AJay will also be getting some run as he flashed some upside this season. Presti might already have a big trade lineup up but can't announce it until after the Finals because it involves players. Indy just made a pick swap trade today.

[bbms]

kon knueppel is an interesting prospect because his fit in okc is counter intuitive for us.

he maybe plug and play with low upside for a weak team but for the thunder he'll have to develop some kenrich williams type of flexibility to be able to make an impact, but if he does the upside is bigger than weaker teams.

[Dadouv47]

I'd like to get Maluach, but I don't think that is realistic due to how far they would probably need to move up. Knueppel is similar, I would like him as a 3&D wing, but he probably isn't in their range for trading up. Essengue, Beringer, Wolf and Flemming are some guys I like. Yes, as has been the case the last few years most of the guys I like are big men. They had Wolf in for a workout so there is a chance for that.

The one prospect I absolutely do not want is Murray-Boyles. He can't stretch the floor and will clog up the paint. I guess they could see him as a small ball 5 with some ball handling skills, but I don't like it. This pretty much guarantees that Presti will trade up and draft him just to upset me.

I think the draft might tell us what else Presti has in store for the off-season. If he drafts a young prospect that needs to develop I think that will indicate he is keeping the rotation mostly together. If he pulls off getting Knueppel or another 3&D type of wing I think that will indicate that he is going to be making a consolidation trade. A 3&D wing is typically able to contribute as a rookie, i.e. Cason, so there would probably need to be some minutes cleared up since I am expecting Topic to have a decent sized role next year as the primary ball handler off the bench and AJay will also be getting some run as he flashed some upside this season. Presti might already have a big trade lineup up but can't announce it until after the Finals because it involves players. Indy just made a pick swap trade today.

Presti will definitely draft Murray-Boyles then.

Doubt we are making a big trade if we win the finals (well I don't know what u mean by big trade). Best case scenario is a Joe + Dieng and pick for an established player that isn't paid huge money. That would be a big enough trade to me but still not sure Presti is willing to get a guy paid 20+ millions/year and even if we should trade Isaiah Joe, his contract is still relatively good and cheap enough for Presti to decide to keep him.

[spearsy23]

What need can we realistically fill? Wiggins deserves rotation minutes. Topic and Ajay are going to get developmental time. Maybe a backup 4 with some size just to give an option outside of small ball in the bench minutes?

[Dadouv47]

What need can we realistically fill? Wiggins deserves rotation minutes. Topic and Ajay are going to get developmental time. Maybe a backup 4 with some size just to give an option outside of small ball in the bench minutes?

a bit early to tell because it's gonna be a long summer but to me the Spurs and Denver are the biggest threat in the West in the next 2-3 years (Denver might not have enough assets but still respect Jokic and their core guys) and I think improving 3 pts % is essential against them and a good back up 4 like u mentioned is a great idea too against both of those teams. Might add Houston/Lakers to the mix but still doesn't change the fact that improving outside shooting and adding a good 4 would be key.

and yeah we obviously need a better back up playmaker and I have no clue if we can count on Ajay/Topic next postseason but probably at least one of them would be able to contribute in the playoffs and if they both struggle during the season we can still sign/trade for a vet PG.

[Zagor]

My wish list:
1. Coward
2. Bryant
3. Murray-Boyles

If they are not available, then Danny Wolf or Fleming.

Lineup of SGA, Dort, Coward, JDub and Chet would be so crazy. Literally they would crush everyone.
Bryant has tools for becoming a star.
Murray-Boyles would be very useful, he's proven defender.

[bbms]

What need can we realistically fill? Wiggins deserves rotation minutes. Topic and Ajay are going to get developmental time. Maybe a backup 4 with some size just to give an option outside of small ball in the bench minutes?

i wouldn't call it needs, but i have two:

1) a pf that fits next to chet long term (beefy, rebounding, switchable man defender), someone that can compete and beat kenrich and jaylin
2) a dynamic shooting wing to compete and beat both joe and wiggins.

basically prospects that turn 4 small roles into 2 big bench roles down the road by the time thunder needs to axe a few guys to duck 2nd apron.

and if they opt for trading jaylin, than we'll need a developmental center too because hartenstein's contract is built to be moved in 26/27.

[OKC2008]

If the Thunder wins the Finals I think that next RS all the Starters and Caruso will probably rest for more minutes/games..
This will open more minutes for Topic/Ajay and #15 pick

[spearsy23]

What need can we realistically fill? Wiggins deserves rotation minutes. Topic and Ajay are going to get developmental time. Maybe a backup 4 with some size just to give an option outside of small ball in the bench minutes?

i wouldn't call it needs, but i have two:

1) a pf that fits next to chet long term (beefy, rebounding, switchable man defender), someone that can compete and beat kenrich and jaylin
2) a dynamic shooting wing to compete and beat both joe and wiggins.

basically prospects that turn 4 small roles into 2 big bench roles down the road by the time thunder needs to axe a few guys to duck 2nd apron.

and if they opt for trading jaylin, than we'll need a developmental center too because hartenstein's contract is built to be moved in 26/27.

I can agree with the pf pretty easily, but if you get a dynamic shooting wing that beats out both Joe and Wiggins and doesn't tank a defense you're looking at a starting caliber player that is going to get 25 million dollars annually at LEAST. Joe and Wiggins are underrated by this fanbase just because of how many good players we have.

[Dadouv47]

What need can we realistically fill? Wiggins deserves rotation minutes. Topic and Ajay are going to get developmental time. Maybe a backup 4 with some size just to give an option outside of small ball in the bench minutes?

i wouldn't call it needs, but i have two:

1) a pf that fits next to chet long term (beefy, rebounding, switchable man defender), someone that can compete and beat kenrich and jaylin
2) a dynamic shooting wing to compete and beat both joe and wiggins.

basically prospects that turn 4 small roles into 2 big bench roles down the road by the time thunder needs to axe a few guys to duck 2nd apron.

and if they opt for trading jaylin, than we'll need a developmental center too because hartenstein's contract is built to be moved in 26/27.

I can agree with the pf pretty easily, but if you get a dynamic shooting wing that beats out both Joe and Wiggins and doesn't tank a defense you're looking at a starting caliber player that is going to get 25 million dollars annually at LEAST. Joe and Wiggins are underrated by this fanbase just because of how many good players we have.

Wiggins is clearly underrated but Joe got "exposed" big time. He's basically just an excellent 3 pts shooter but he's too much of a defensive liability and can't create his own shot unlike Wiggins. He's still under a good/friendly contract because we decided to opt out from the 2 millions team option so he's fine value at his salary but if we can switch Joe + Dieng (and picks) into a better wing it would be great IMO. That's an 18 million/year player...should be able to find.

[Big nick]

I have watch some tape on derik queen he can handle the ball like a guard, I like him. Maluach is interesting I am out on boules just can’t shoot. Wolf is interesting also we need size.

[The Servant]

@kizzfastfist owes Presti an apology!

Congrats everyone!