The Thunder are not entering draft night like any contender. They already have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, a deep rotation, and will become one of the most expensive rosters in the NBA. But they also hold the No. 12 pick and No. 17 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, so this is not a team just waiting at the back of the first round.
That is why the trade-up noise makes sense. ESPN reported that rival teams expect the Thunder to explore different trade options, including moving up in the lottery, because they have a crowded roster and too many useful assets to just add three more rookies.
This is basically the Thunder problem, but in a good way. They don’t need more bodies. They need a higher-end swing. ESPN also wrote that Sam Presti has more picks than he can reasonably find minutes for next season, and bundling multiple picks for a targeted move is attractive because OKC still has to keep pace with the Spurs after that seven-game series.
So, no, the Thunder shouldn’t move up just because it looks fun. That is not the point. The point is that their picks probably have more value in a trade than they have as roster spots. If Presti sees one prospect in the top five as a real long-term starter next to Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren, this is the type of draft where the Thunder can be very aggressive and still not break the team.
The Thunder also have real trade chips in Cason Wallace, Nikola Topic, Isaiah Joe, Ajay Mitchell, Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, No. 12, No. 17, No. 37, and the future first-round picks they control from other teams. That is already a monster bag.
Now the question is simple: how much would the Thunder need to pay to jump from a very good draft position into the top five?
1. A Trade For The No. 1 Overall Pick In A Shocking Move
Washington Wizards Receive: No. 12 pick, No. 17 pick, No. 37 pick, Nikola Topic, Cason Wallace, 2027 first-round pick (via Nuggets), 2030 first-round pick swap
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: No. 1 overall pick
The Thunder are expected to be one of the most aggressive teams on draft night, and this would be the biggest move they could possibly make.
According to Jake Fischer, Wizards president Michael Winger said the franchise would at least consider moving down from the No. 1 pick. Several teams have already been linked to potential trade-up discussions, which makes sense in a draft class headlined by AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer.
For the Thunder, the logic is simple. They already have one of the deepest rosters in basketball. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren have turned the team into a championship contender, and there simply aren’t enough rotation spots for three more rookies.
Instead of adding volume, Sam Presti could chase star upside.
This package gives the Wizards two first-round picks, an early second-round pick, one of the league’s best young defensive guards in Cason Wallace, another highly regarded young prospect in Nikola Topic, an additional future first-round pick, and a future swap. For a rebuilding team still searching for long-term stars, that is the type of offer that deserves a serious conversation.
The target for the Thunder would almost certainly be AJ Dybantsa.
The former BYU star averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while emerging as the consensus favorite to be selected first overall. Many scouts view him as the best prospect in the class because of his combination of size, athleticism, shot creation, and two-way potential.
Adding Dybantsa to a core already built around Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren could give the Thunder another franchise cornerstone and extend their championship window for years. The cost would be enormous, but players with Dybantsa’s ceiling almost never become available outside the very top of the draft.
2. A Trade For The No. 3 Overall Pick To Add Another Elite Guard
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: No. 12 pick, No. 17 pick, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, 2027 first-round pick (via Spurs), 2028 first-round pick
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: No. 3 overall pick
This would be a high price, but that is normal if the Thunder want to jump from No. 12 to No. 3.
The Grizzlies would get two first-round picks in this draft, a future first-round pick, and two guards who can play real minutes now. Cason Wallace averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 43.2% from the field and 35.1% from three this season. Lu Dort added 8.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.9 steals on 38.5% from the field and 34.4% from three.
Dort’s offense is limited, but his defense still has value in playoff basketball. Wallace is the better prize here. He is only 22, already defends at a high level, and had 150 steals this season. That is not normal for a young guard on a contender.
For the Thunder, the target would be Darryn Peterson, as the Jazz might be inclined to take Cameron Boozer at No. 2, given Peterson’s injury woes.
Peterson averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 24 games at Kansas. He shot 43.8% from the field, 38.2% from three, and 82.0% from the line. He also made 63 threes and had 12 games with 20 or more points.
That is the appeal. Peterson is not just a guard who can score in college. He has size, pull-up shooting, and real shot creation. The Thunder already have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the main creator, so Peterson wouldn’t need to be a star right away. He could grow slower, play easier minutes, and become another star scorer later.
Giving up Wallace and Dort would hurt the defense, for sure. But the Thunder can cover some of that with Alex Caruso, Aaron Wiggins, and their team structure. They can’t easily create another high-end scoring guard from the middle of the draft.
If the Thunder believe Peterson is a future All-Star scorer, this is the type of deal that makes sense. It is expensive, but No. 3 is supposed to be expensive.
3. A Trade For The No. 4 Overall Pick To Add More Frontcourt Power
Chicago Bulls Receive: No. 12 pick, No. 17 pick, Isaiah Hartenstein, Ajay Mitchell, 2027 first-round pick (via Nuggets), 2027 first-round pick (via Spurs)
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: No. 4 overall pick
This is the trade where the Thunder use the center contract instead of sacrificing Lu Dort. Isaiah Hartenstein has a $28.5 million team option, so the Thunder could pick it up and use him in an offseason deal. That would make the situation easier for a bigger draft-night move.
Hartenstein averaged 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 62.2% from the field this season, so this is not dead salary. He is a real starting-level center who rebounds, passes, screens, and keeps the offense moving.
Ajay Mitchell gives the Bulls another useful young guard. He averaged 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 48.5% from the field. He is not the main piece, but he is not just filler either. Add No. 12, No. 17, and two 2027 first-round picks, and this becomes a strong move-down package for a team starting a new cycle.
For the Thunder, the target would probably be Caleb Wilson.
With Dybantsa, Peterson, and Boozer surely gone in the top three, Wilson is the next big swing. He averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks at North Carolina while shooting 57.8% from the field. The three-point shot is still behind at 25.9%, but the rest of the profile is very strong. He scores inside, runs the floor, rebounds, passes enough, and creates defensive chaos.
That is why the Thunder fit is very interesting. Wilson could become a real anti-Wembanyama option in the West. Not because he will stop Victor Wembanyama one-on-one every time, because nobody does that. But he has the size, length, mobility, and defensive activity to at least give the Thunder another body who can switch, contest, recover, and make those matchups less impossible.
The Thunder already have Chet Holmgren, but he’s been quite underwhelming in that Wembanyama matchup. Wilson next to Holmgren would give them two long frontcourt defenders with different bodies. Holmgren protects the rim with timing and length. Wilson brings more strength, more downhill force, and more rebounding. That pairing could be nasty in playoff series where size is the problem.
Losing Hartenstein would hurt the rebounding and screening, and losing Mitchell would take away a young guard who had a good season. But Wilson has a much higher ceiling, and the Thunder found a real bench weapon in Jared McCain now. With that in mind, this is the kind of move that gives them another frontcourt weapon for the next Spurs battles.
4. A Trade For The No. 5 Overall Pick To Add More Shot Creation
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: No. 12 pick, No. 17 pick, Isaiah Joe, Nikola Topic, 2027 first-round pick (via Nuggets), 2029 first-round pick (via Nuggets)
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: No. 5 overall pick
This is the trade where the Thunder turn depth into a guard with real scoring skill.
The Clippers would get two first-round picks in this draft, two future first-round picks from another team, and two players with different value. Isaiah Joe averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 21.2 minutes this season, while shooting 45.5% from the field, 42.3% from three, and 89.4% from the line. He is not a star, but he is a real movement shooter and one of the best floor-spacing guards on the Thunder.
Nikola Topic is more of a long-term bet. He only played 10 games this season and averaged 5.2 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 40.0% from three in limited minutes. He is expected to be ready for 2026-27 after back surgery, so the Clippers would be buying low on a 6-foot-6 playmaker who still has lottery-level talent.
The target here would be Mikel Brown Jr. Brown averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists at Louisville while shooting 41.0% from the field. He played 21 games and was Louisville’s second-leading scorer, with nine games of 20 or more points. His best game was stupid good: 45 points against NC State, with 10 threes, tying the school single-game scoring record and setting an ACC freshman record.
The fit is simple. Brown wouldn’t need to carry a giant role from day one. He could run second units, attack off-ball screens, shoot off movement, and give the Thunder another guard who can create his own shot.
That is different from just drafting another wing with tools. Brown has a real skill base now. The handle, pace, passing, and pull-up shooting are already there. The size and defense are the question, but the Thunder can cover that better than most teams.
Losing Joe would hurt the shooting, and moving Topic would mean giving up on a young playmaker before seeing the full version. But if the Thunder believe Brown is the best guard left after Darryn Peterson, this is a strong use of No. 12, No. 17, and the extra pick stash.
