Here's How the Thunder Stockpiled 17 First-Round Picks Through 2026

The Oklahoma City Thunder have executed several explosive trades over the last year-plus as they've moved on from the Russell Westbrook era and reportedly managed to land 17 first-round picks through 2026 along the way. 

Last July, the Thunder conducted a flurry of deals to firmly move into rebuilding mode. Russell Westbrook and Paul George were sent to the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, respectively, and acquired Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, several first-round picks and pick swaps in return. Oklahoma City also traded forward Jerami Grant to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a 2020 first-rounder, which became the No. 25 overall pick in Wednesday's draft.

After Paul surprisingly led the Thunder to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference last season, the team flipped him on Monday to the Phoenix Suns for a protected 2022 first-round pick and several players including Ricky Rubio. That came just one day after OKC shipped Dennis Schröder to the Lakers for Danny Green and the No. 28 pick in Wednesday's draft.

Then, the Sixers dealt center Al Horford, along with a lightly-protected 2025 first-round pick and a 2020 second-round pick, to the Thunder for Green and small forward Terrance Ferguson, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on the evening of the draft.

Now, the Thunder have a treasure trove of 17 first-round picks through 2026 as of Wednesday evening—and it seems like they're far from done. Here's a breakdown of the Thunder's draft picks and where they came from. 

2020

• No. 25 — Denver Nuggets (Jerami Grant trade)
  
• No. 28 — Los Angeles Lakers (Dennis Schröder trade)

UPDATE: Oklahoma City packaged the two first-round picks it owned heading into Wednesday night as part of a trade to move up to the No. 17 pick, which the team used on Serbian forward Aleksej Pokusevski. 

2021 

If No. 5 through No. 30, 

• They have their own pick, but have the right to swap picks with the Rockets (unprotected via Russell Westbrook trade).
  
• Unprotected: Miami Heat (Paul George trade)

2022

• They have their own pick (unless it’s outside of No. 1-14, which will go to the Hawks if that's the case as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade)
  
• Unprotected: Los Angeles Clippers (Paul George trade)
• Reportedly protected (No. 1-12): Phoenix Suns (Chris Paul trade)

2023

• They have their own pick, but with the right to swap picks with the Clippers (unprotected via Paul George trade).
• Lottery protection: Miami Heat (Paul George trade)

2024

• They have their own pick
• Unprotected: Los Angeles Clippers (Paul George trade)
• Protected (No. 1-4): Houston Rockets (Russell Westbrook trade)

2025

• They have their own pick, but with the right to swap picks with the Clippers (unprotected). Additionally, the Thunder can swap with the Rockets, but it would be No. 1-20 protected, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. This was a part of the Russell Westbrook/Chris Paul trades. 

• Lightly protected, per Wojnarowski: Philadelphia 76ers (Al Horford trade) 

2026

• They have their own pick
• Unprotected: Los Angeles Clippers (Paul George trade)
• Protected (No. 1-4): Houston Rockets (Russell Westbrook trade)