The offseason is a vital period for teams to make necessary adjustments to the roster. While this year will be no different, it can be argued that for a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, change will come in a different form.
The Thunder are entering this year’s offseason facing some serious salary cap issues. With a $250.5 million payroll, OKC was expected to field one of the largest luxury tax bills in the league unless it made some drastic changes. Hence, to significantly cut down their expenses, the Thunder have reportedly made the first move by pulling the trigger on a trade.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the trade on X, tweeting:
“The Oklahoma City Thunder are finalizing a trade to send guard Aaron Wiggins to the Atlanta Hawks for two second-round picks (Atlanta’s in 2030 and the least favorable of Hawks/Lakers in 2032), sources tell ESPN.”
On the face of it, the trade doesn’t seem very significant, though it does add to their pre-existing wealth of draft capital. Although Aaron Wiggins positioned himself as a key rotational piece, averaging 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game on 43.1% shooting from the field and 35.6% from three-point range, trading him does not qualify as a blockbuster move. From a salary cap perspective, however, this trade is huge.
By offloading Aaron Wiggins’ $9.2 million contract, the Thunder have reduced their total expenses by nearly $73 million. With the tax penalty dropping from $213 million to roughly $152 million, OKC has brought down its roster expenses from $549 million to $476 million.
It goes without saying that the current situation isn’t much better, as the Thunder are still well above the $165 million salary cap. But considering how impactful this trade has been, it is widely expected that OKC is just getting started.
What’s Next For The Thunder?
The Oklahoma City Thunder are positioned to be the NBA’s next dynasty. By offering extensions to Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren after their impressive title run in 2025, the Thunder ensured that their core would remain intact for the foreseeable future. However, given the massive impact this decision has had on the team’s payroll, it is clear that OKC needs to make some adjustments.
Trading Aaron Wiggins marks the beginning of a massive salary-shedding exercise for the Thunder this summer. While it is difficult to predict what’s next, some likely moves could follow.
For starters, it seems increasingly likely that the Thunder will decline the team options for players like Isaiah Hartenstein ($28.5 million), Lu Dort ($18.2 million), and Kenrich Williams ($7.1 million). All these players have played vital roles in OKC’s lineup. But given the circumstances, with an opportunity to take nearly $53.8 million off the books before negotiating new deals, the Thunder are likely to do so.
Declining these team options would drastically reduce OKC’s payroll following Wiggins’ departure. I would place them roughly $3.7 million below the luxury tax line, $11.7 million under the first apron, and $24.7 million below the second apron.
Although these moves would leave OKC’s roster looking bare, it would improve the franchise’s financial position. Given that the Thunder also boasts three picks in this year’s draft (two first-rounders and one second-round pick), clearing up roster spots could also provide them the flexibility to fill their roster by drafting more young talent.
