With Kawhi Leonard confirmed to be out indefinitely, NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor chose to remind fans that the LA Clippers‘ 2025 first-round pick is currently with the Oklahoma City Thunder. And with the increased competitiveness of the Western Conference, the Clippers could miss the play-in, which would bolster the chances of their pick ranking high in the lottery, allowing the Thunder to draft Cooper Flagg.
“The Western Conference is so stacked there’s a strong chance now that the Clippers miss the play-in. Which would give the Thunder a lottery pick. Which means the Thunder could end up with Cooper Flagg. Just saying.”
The Thunder are in control of the Clippers’ 2025 first-round pick, which they acquired from them as part of the 2019 trade for Paul George. That trade has been the foundation for the franchise’s rebuild, as they have built around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whom they also acquired from the Clippers, and drafted stars like Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.
The Thunder’s rebuild has worked out very well so far, as last season, they had the number-one record in the Western Conference, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished second in the MVP race behind eventual winner Nikola Jokic. However, the young squad was bested by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs.
If O’Connor’s blueprint comes to fruition, and the Thunder get the first overall pick to land Flagg, that would make them a bonafide superteam, stacked with young talent that could help the franchise win the NBA championship for the first time in their history.
Of course, there is no way of predicting who will win the draft lottery to secure the first overall pick next year. The Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards are considered two of the favorites, as they are projected to be two of the worst teams in the NBA next year.
Where Would Cooper Flagg Fit On The Thunder?
If we were to carry forward this thought experiment, there are some questions surrounding the fit of Cooper Flagg on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Flagg is a forward who can play at the three or the four position and will be someone coaches cannot resist putting into the starting lineup immediately.
However, the Thunder are a stacked team and have Jalen Williams, who many expect to be an All-Star in the near future at that position. Furthermore, the Thunder signed Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency this year to play at center, presumably to allow Chet Holmgren to play at the power forward position.
This positional structure in the Thunder’s starting lineup would have to be adjusted to accommodate Flagg. Or, the Thunder would have to settle for Flagg coming off the bench. While Flagg has shown the maturity to be able to handle that, it would be a waste of his gifts and potential for him to play such a diminished role.
If nothing else, the presence of Cooper Flagg on the Thunder would create the best kind of selection headache for head coach Mike Daigneault, as it would be an embarrassment of riches to have Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Cooper Flagg to choose from.
Will the Thunder get the first overall pick next season? It’s certainly possible, especially with the news about the Clippers, but as we’ve seen in the past, there are no guarantees when it comes to the NBA Draft lottery.
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