Rest of league panicking about OKC having the Clippers pick

[Optms]

I think "panicking" carries a bit more hyperbole than necessary. No team is panicking about it. The Clippers might want to get their stuff together so they're not helping OKC more than is necessary, but that's about it.

Looks like that won't happen.

Getting blown out so far against the Heat at full health. The team is just too old.

[sashaturiaf]

No need to worry

Wemby is on his way to LAL, watch for the trailers soon

[LoveMyRaps]

Clippers are a joke

[BigGargamel]

Sixers and Clippers picks going to be like the 10th and 12th overall pick (which to be clear are still great picks for the best team in the league)

OKC could package their picks to move up to top5.

This doesn't happen much in the NBA. A guy available in the top five is 3 times better than anyone available lower down. bad teams want a shot at that one star.

[Saul Goodman]

Its the most ridiculous wealth of talent and picks in the history of the league. They could trade for Giannis right now without moving any core players (not that they should)

[jwood255]

Not a mod, OP, but can you reframe this so it's framing the topic and not just repeating a clickbait title? It's an interesting topic but the league is not 'panicking' about this, cuz there's nothing they can do about it, cuz OKC has a million assets and picks and is already best team in league, cuz they'd still only have like 25% chance of a top-3 pick at best, etc. Panic just isn't the right word, pure clickbait.

It's a quote from Tim MacMahon

[chilluminati]

One of the few GM's that truly understands how to navigate the new CBA. Luck plays a huge role into this too, but Presti made all the right moves.

Between Chet, Dub, and Shai, they are going to be paying a lot. So in the unfortunate case that one of those guys have to be traded or leaves for salary reasons, they can keep reshuffling the deck with high value draft assets or can draft players who are ready to contribute now and have all star potential.

Most NBA people were saying that under this new CBA, championship teams may only have 2 or 3 years together because of the apron rules. Presti is ready for operating in that small window.

I do wonder though - there comes a point where the money dries up. We kind of saw it this summer with a few contract situations dragging because nobody but the home team could offer any money. There's going to be a generation of contracts outside of the big stars that's substantially lower than what they've gone for lately, imo because so many teams are already close to the second apron.

We're probably going to see 2nd and 3rd options being paid like 2nd and 3rd options now. We went through a phase where huge contracts were being handed out too easily. And now because of the 2nd apron, we're seeing teams not even give offers to players they'd be throwing 30M+ at just 2-3 years ago. Good example is that Ayton contract he got in 2022, that aint happening anymore for players of his caliber. We saw a lot of RFA's not get offers this past summer with teams being conservative with their spending.

[knicksfan974]

Sixers and Clippers picks going to be like the 10th and 12th overall pick (which to be clear are still great picks for the best team in the league)

OKC could package their picks to move up to top5.

This doesn't happen much in the NBA. A guy available in the top five is 3 times better than anyone available lower down. bad teams want a shot at that one star.

If I understood correctly, depending on the final records, the Thunder could end up with the Sixers, the Jazz and the Clippers first round picks. There might be a team slotted high in the lottery who could consider the draft deep enough to rather take three later swings than just pick once in the Top 5. I assume it's not unheard of either.

[Bobbymcgee]

Clippers built a dynasty. Just happens it was in OKC.

[madmaxmedia]

From the Paul George trade.

Jerry West builds another dynasty.

If anyone was going to have a tree company pay Kawhi Leonard under the table for services rendered, it should have been OKC.

[madmaxmedia]

OKC could package their picks to move up to top5.

This doesn't happen much in the NBA. A guy available in the top five is 3 times better than anyone available lower down. bad teams want a shot at that one star.

If I understood correctly, depending on the final records, the Thunder could end up with the Sixers, the Jazz and the Clippers first round picks. There might be a team slotted high in the lottery who could consider the draft deep enough to rather take three later swings than just pick once in the Top 5. I assume it's not unheard of either.

It's not impossible for sure but the relative value dropoff is pretty dramatic, so just much less likely. More dramatic a dropoff than say the NFL draft, except when there's a big QB prospect or 2 at the top of the draft and the value of getting one skyrockets.

[Vidaldo]

The scary thing is their top picks from this and last years draft haven't played to this day. Topic of course is a very special, sad situation, so needs to be seen how he will recover...

[falcolombardi]

OKC could package their picks to move up to top5.

This doesn't happen much in the NBA. A guy available in the top five is 3 times better than anyone available lower down. bad teams want a shot at that one star.

If I understood correctly, depending on the final records, the Thunder could end up with the Sixers, the Jazz and the Clippers first round picks. There might be a team slotted high in the lottery who could consider the draft deep enough to rather take three later swings than just pick once in the Top 5. I assume it's not unheard of either.

Also 2027 dallas and clippers picks too

So it goes

2026 clippers(potentially top 3-5)
2026 utah (if lower than top 8*)
2027 clippers (who knows but it looks juicy)
2027 dallas (who knows but it could be great)

Funny thingh is that presti can trade okc own picks for future picks so if he ever needs to rebuild circa 2030 or whatever he will still have a new batch to rebuild

[lethalizer]

This doesn't happen much in the NBA. A guy available in the top five is 3 times better than anyone available lower down. bad teams want a shot at that one star.

If I understood correctly, depending on the final records, the Thunder could end up with the Sixers, the Jazz and the Clippers first round picks. There might be a team slotted high in the lottery who could consider the draft deep enough to rather take three later swings than just pick once in the Top 5. I assume it's not unheard of either.

Also 2027 dallas and clippers picks too

So it goes

2026 clippers(potentially top 3-5)
2026 utah (if lower than top 8*)
2027 clippers (who knows but it looks juicy)
2027 dallas (who knows but it could be great)

Funny thingh is that presti can trade okc own picks for future picks so if he ever needs to rebuild circa 2030 or whatever he will still have a new batch to rebuild

Dallas pick is in 2028 and it's a swap right, same for the 2027 clips.

[slicedbread2]

Presti is so good at his job.

Presti is the best executive in NBA history.

There's a good argument for it. Who are the counters?

Pop/Buford
Riley

I think he's already surpassed Krause due to the latter's fall from grace late in his career. I think he still needs some hardware to surpass those other two but he's been amazing consistently for decades now.

Can't forget Red Auerbach and Jerry West. Red's history with the Celtics spanning multiple decades was insane and impressive. Sure it got extended thanks to the Warriors being morons and giving away Parrish+ the draft rights to McHale for Joe Barry Carroll, but it was still phenomenal.

Jerry West the logo was amazing with evaluating talent. Was the brains behind the showtime era Lakers and the man involved in 2 titles in the Shaq-Kobe era before winning another ring in Golden State as a consultant. It's crazy that he was a part of the Clippers when they made the decision to mortgage the future for PG-13. Admittedly, the Clippers inferiority complex struck and made them desperate to get Kawhi but my god the fact that this deal still has future dividends to be paid out is absolutely insane.

Bob Myers could've had even more rings with the Curry era Warriors if Draymond wasn't such a loose cannon. That dude's antics arguably cost the Warriors at least 3 rings. Sadly, Myers tried the 2 timeline idea which absolutely bombed with him missing on all 3 picks. Kuminga, Moody and Wiseman failed. If he had at least hit on 2 of those picks, it'd be a different story.

Presti has his work cut out for him when it comes to the CBA, but man if they can win at least 2-3 additional titles your jumping for joy.

[guynumber45]

I haven't paid much attention to the draft this year, but I've heard the top of the class is suppose to be really stacked

If the Thunder were to get the #1 pick, who would they go for?

[Big nick]

I like boozer or peat. But I know that Sam will make a great pick. I look for Sam to get a great pick and then trade the others for picks down the road.

[Special_Puppy]

OKC could package their picks to move up to top5.

This doesn't happen much in the NBA. A guy available in the top five is 3 times better than anyone available lower down. bad teams want a shot at that one star.

If I understood correctly, depending on the final records, the Thunder could end up with the Sixers, the Jazz and the Clippers first round picks. There might be a team slotted high in the lottery who could consider the draft deep enough to rather take three later swings than just pick once in the Top 5. I assume it's not unheard of either.

I'm extremely skeptical that Jazz pick conveys.

[HotelVitale]

Not a mod, OP, but can you reframe this so it's framing the topic and not just repeating a clickbait title? It's an interesting topic but the league is not 'panicking' about this, cuz there's nothing they can do about it, cuz OKC has a million assets and picks and is already best team in league, cuz they'd still only have like 25% chance of a top-3 pick at best, etc. Panic just isn't the right word, pure clickbait.

It's a quote from Tim MacMahon

It's a throwaway thing he says in passing, and his fellow podcasters make fun of him for it too. Then they spend like 15 minutes having a real conversation about the Thunder and barely discuss the pick. When they do the upshot is basically 'man the Thunder have a lot of picks coming up, be something if a great team gets a great prospect.'

[bbms]

I haven't paid much attention to the draft this year, but I've heard the top of the class is suppose to be really stacked

If the Thunder were to get the #1 pick, who would they go for?

too early but in theory boozer could help their current window the most, while darryn peterson and aj dybantsa would be more of a parallel timeline for 5 years down the stretch.