OKC Roster Crunch Incoming – What’s the Move?

[Shakey Deal]

The Thunder are heading into next season in a super interesting spot. They’ve basically got 15 guys on good (or great) value contracts, and they’re bringing in 2–3 more first-round draft picks. Right now, they’ve got 13 players on guaranteed deals, and team options for J-Will and Ajay Mitchell that are almost definitely getting picked up. So the roster’s pretty much full already.

They’ve got the 15th and 24th picks in the upcoming draft, plus a 36% shot at landing the 7th or 8th pick from Philly. Some people throw out “draft-and-stash” as a solution, but it’s not that easy to pull off with first-rounders.

So here’s what I’m wondering:
1. How do they even handle this roster crunch?
2. How do you give minutes to all 15 guys - when most of them either belong in the rotation or need real development time (like Topic, Dillon Jones, and whoever they draft)?

The only contract that’s kinda meh is Dieng’s, and even that’s just $6.6M expiring. Here’s what their 2025–26 salaries look like:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – $38.3M
Isaiah Hartenstein – $28.5M
Alex Caruso – $18.1M
Luguentz Dort – $17.7M
Chet Holmgren – $13.7M
Isaiah Joe – $12.4M
Aaron Wiggins – $9.7M
Kenrich Williams – $7.2M
Ousmane Dieng – $6.7M
Jalen Williams – $6.6M
Cason Wallace – $5.8M
Nikola Topic – $5.2M
Ajay Mitchell – $3.0M
Dillon Jones – $2.8M
Jaylin Williams – $2.2M

It’s a great problem to have, but still a problem. Do you trade a couple of guys to consolidate? Stash someone overseas (if that’s even realistic)? Or maybe even start thinking about cutting costs ahead of 2026–27, when the expected J-Dub and Chet extensions kick in and the team might want to stay below the first apron?
What’s the move if you’re Presti?

[Daddy 801]

They will trade/sell their picks for future picks/cash. No reason to bring on three rookies. Maybe they keep one rookie.

[wemby]

JDubb and Chet are one year away from getting paid (25% of the cap, likely one of them at least 30%), the season after that it's basically everyone other than Isaiah Joe, Wiggins and Caruso. So they have 1 more year before problems begin. Also, being this deep leaves them vulnerable to the upcoming expansion draft. They probably consolidate a few players into a star on a superstar (Giannis?) or a rising star on a good contract, and they punt most their picks as they've done on occasion. Depending on how the playoffs unfold, we might see them make a move this very offseason.

[jayjaysee]

Think when things have gone so well, you accept some depreciating assets along the way / at some point.. Same as Boston last time around. I think Dieng is that so far for OKC…

I think Presti will delay picks like he does. Still has the volume to “lose” a trade while getting what the team needs.

I disagree about Jaylin…, if they feel Jaylin is closer to third big than just semi-useful cheerleader.. he shouldn’t play on his option this year. Lock him up on a “3yr21” give or take?

For me, I’d trade Dieng and Jones for cap space. Delay the picks, unless the Philly first conveys.. Give Jaylin a front loaded cheap 3-4 year deal. And use as much of the MLE as possible on a power forward with size. Midseason I can deal with secondary play maker if Topic doesn’t work out to fill that need.

I think the Caruso salary dump (imo) will happen in the 2026 offseason when it’ll be easy to trade him to team A and trade team A’s lesser salary to team B..

[Devilanche]

8th or 15th (best first) - draft
15+24 or 24 - trade for future pick.
44/45 - either two way or draft and stash

Jaylin & Ajay - try to negotiate and extend for a longer contract.

Dieng/Dillon- I’m trading one of them to create space for my new first round.

Consolidate ? I try see how I end this season and see if there’s any possible trade to be done before I need finalise my squad to 15. Happy to hold off decision on Dieng/dillon until preseason is over.

[MoneyTalks41890]

Yeah I definitely see Presti carrying multiple guys above 15 into the offseason and making decisions later. In particular I bet he's more reluctant to dump Dillon Jones than I am.

I'd love to do a straight consolidation of the type that has been kicked around on the board where 24, 15, and maybe Dieng get used to get higher up. Currently pricing in not getting the Sixers pick. Would be awesome if they did.

But I would like to come away with one impact guy that Presti likes as a future rotation piece. Currently focused on Asa Newell.

[wegotthabeet]

They will trade/sell their picks for future picks/cash. No reason to bring on three rookies. Maybe they keep one rookie.

They're in a position to just roll all their picks forward in perpetuity. Unless they consolidate this is the path forward.

[Texas Chuck]

I hesitate to say this about Kenrich, but feels like he, Dieng, and Jones are all some level of expendable if need be. So that would be 3 roster spots if they preferred to re-start a rookie clock or whatever. So I don't see a huge crunch here. I think he tries to push picks back like he always does unless he loves a guy(and we know Presti has pet cats in the draft). if he can't get the value he wants, I agree just go ahead and draft guys you like and let guys compete for those last couple of roster spots.

I do think if they could get a big forward who defends/shoots, they should trade for that guy, but I don't think its an absolute must. But that would be my consolidation target. And maybe a veteran playmaker, though as jay points out this could wait until mid-season if Topic can't fill the role.

[Devilanche]

I do think if they could get a big forward who defends/shoots, they should trade for that guy, but I don't think its an absolute must. But that would be my consolidation target. And maybe a veteran playmaker, though as jay points out this could wait until mid-season if Topic can't fill the role.

Yeap big forward and vet pg are the most likely opening to regular rotational minutes.

Have enough guards, smallish forward and center (health permitting).

Vet PG a less immediate need with all our guards and topic/ajay for next regular season until trade deadline.

Big forward is something that Dieng/Dillon roster spot can be used for .

[Saints14]

I think the obvious solution is to trade Dieng and come out of the draft with one player, whether that’s by aggregating picks to move up or trading for future ones. Kenrich I think is a good vet for them that can also provide quality minutes at F, and I don’t think they’d give up on Jones so soon. Feels like unless they know that the plan for Dieng is to bring him in the rotation next year (unlikely), it would be best for both parties to move on. But man, the depth on this team is just ridiculous

[BlazersBroncos]

What about Dieng, 15 and 24 for 12.

CHI kicks the tires on Dieng and gets 2 FRP for only moving down 3 slots.
OKC consolidates, albeit paying a high price to move up 3 spaces, but also dumps Dieng's contract / roster slot.

[sonictecture]

Okc has all of these players at guard height who have the ability to guard up defensively and press advantages with ball handling and shooting offensively.

The results have been great. So why do OKC fans want a PF?

Dieng has PF height and the skills set you would want but he’s struggled to beat out the guys with guard height.

[ChettheJet]

The Bulls have probably seen enough of Dieng that they don't need to kick the tires in person. The Bulls have Matas at the PF and it's not much to put Giddey at the SF because like OKC they have too many guards. Do you think Dieng is really a better option off the bench than Patrick Williams who in his worst year this year played twice the minutes, shot better from 3 and more than doubled Dieng in most categories?

What stops the trade, on its' own, not with any that follow, the Bulls have 14 players under contract. If they add Dieng and another FRP that's 17 guaranteed contracts and they can't possibly bring back Tre Jones. That's when the phone hangs up

To make it work is OKG willing to take back Dalen Terry or Jevon Carter to free up a roster spot and send the Bulls a future pick instead of #24 when maybe they do gave some roster slots open to move down those 3 slots?

[Andre Roberstan]

Think when things have gone so well, you accept some depreciating assets along the way / at some point.. Same as Boston last time around. I think Dieng is that so far for OKC…

I think Presti will delay picks like he does. Still has the volume to “lose” a trade while getting what the team needs.

I disagree about Jaylin…, if they feel Jaylin is closer to third big than just semi-useful cheerleader.. he shouldn’t play on his option this year. Lock him up on a “3yr21” give or take?

For me, I’d trade Dieng and Jones for cap space. Delay the picks, unless the Philly first conveys.. Give Jaylin a front loaded cheap 3-4 year deal. And use as much of the MLE as possible on a power forward with size. Midseason I can deal with secondary play maker if Topic doesn’t work out to fill that need.

I think the Caruso salary dump (imo) will happen in the 2026 offseason when it’ll be easy to trade him to team A and trade team A’s lesser salary to team B..

This is almost word for word what I would do, and what I think happens.

Jaylin's shown enough to be worth a contract like that and I think that MLE plan makes sense.

[MoneyTalks41890]

. Do you think Dieng is really a better option off the bench than Patrick Williams who in his worst year this year played twice the minutes, shot better from 3 and more than doubled Dieng in most categories?

Getting PT on this OKC squad versus on the Bulls are two different things.

[Devilanche]

Okc has all of these players at guard height who have the ability to guard up defensively and press advantages with ball handling and shooting offensively.

The results have been great. So why do OKC fans want a PF?

Dieng has PF height and the skills set you would want but he’s struggled to beat out the guys with guard height.

Dieng consistency and skill level is the issue.

That’s why he struggle to be part of the rotation.

[sonictecture]

Okc has all of these players at guard height who have the ability to guard up defensively and press advantages with ball handling and shooting offensively.

The results have been great. So why do OKC fans want a PF?

Dieng has PF height and the skills set you would want but he’s struggled to beat out the guys with guard height.

Dieng consistency and skill level is the issue.

That’s why he struggle to be part of the rotation.

Let’s also give credit to the group of guards. I don’t think it’s an accident that Presti has accumulated so many.

What is the most common player available? 6-5 - 6-7 guards. Find one's who can guard up while other teams are looking for the harder to find PF and maybe you can avoid not having depth as your core gets more expensive.

Asa Newell would have the same issue as Dieng.

[bbms]

i've been calling for trading picks into future picks for a long time and it's so obvious that i can only think it's easier said than done. since i know it's obvious, probably sam knows it's obvious and the league make it expensive.

what i do think it's there's value on keeping drafting, specially multiple guys in the teens hoping to replenish the stock.

those will be much needed when chet, jdub and CASON inevitably will get paid. some wishful thinking about one of chet and jdub would settle for less than max and cason settling for less than 20 mm apy but that's going to happen.

that's where getting rookie deals value is important for them. reminder that wiggins was a second rounder, dort undrafted, jdub and cason picks in teens. and maybe picking in the teens has been underrated by fans and the league.

one other way is what the thunder tried to do the whole rebuilding process is to allow players to recoup trade value and turning into picks. that was successful with cp3, george hill and al horford. that was a failure with derrick favors (maybe a stretch, but dieng too). that could be the way with jaylin williams, ajay mitchell, nikola topic, dillon jones.

[Snakebites]

What a horrible predicament. Too much depth, too many first round draft picks, no clear cut holes on the roster, and no bad contracts to unload.

The poor dears.

Seems like anyone looking to get draft capital might be able to get it at a reasonable price from them. But they'll be fine.

[bbms]

Okc has all of these players at guard height who have the ability to guard up defensively and press advantages with ball handling and shooting offensively.

The results have been great. So why do OKC fans want a PF?

Dieng has PF height and the skills set you would want but he’s struggled to beat out the guys with guard height.

Dieng consistency and skill level is the issue.

That’s why he struggle to be part of the rotation.

Let’s also give credit to the group of guards. I don’t think it’s an accident that Presti has accumulated so many.

What is the most common player available? 6-5 - 6-7 guards. Find one's who can guard up while other teams are looking for the harder to find PF and maybe you can avoid not having depth as your core gets more expensive.

Asa Newell would have the same issue as Dieng.

the cracking of code of how sam presti drafts is still undone. yeah there are those guards, but there's also the pokusevskis, bazleys and diengs. the jres, jaylins. it's so inconsistent that i tend to think it's more on player/person development than a hawkeye for talent.