Best Trade-Back Scenarios for OKC Thunder in First Round of NBA Draft

Right now, it looks like the OKC Thunder will either move up or stay put in the 2025 NBA Draft. That being said, everyone knows that Thunder GM Sam Presti always has tricks up his sleeve that would result in a lower pick, but even more draft capital.

If there isn't a move that Presti and his team can agree to pounce on, then there certainly will be plenty of suitors for both of his first-round picks. The Thunder are picking, as of now, at 14 and 25. They don't exactly need those, but certainly could use them as chess pieces for adding more draft capital.

Here are a few moves the Thunder could make to move back in this year's draft.

OKC Moves Out of Round 1

ESPN created a mock trade that sent both of OKC's first-round picks to the Milwaukee Bucks, getting a 2031 first-round pick in return. This would make plenty of sense, given that the pick is top-one protected at the moment.

The Thunder don't exactly need two more first-round talents on their roster. The depth chart is already crowded enough and they'll also add Serbian point guard Nikola Topic to the rotation next season.

It would make sense for Milwaukee, as well. They have an expensive roster and are in need of young talent and currently don't have a first-round pick. This would help start a youth movement in Milwaukee, while also giving the Thunder the chance to focus on their current core, while adding to their mountain of future first-round selections.

Brooklyn A a Two-for-One

The Brooklyn Nets control the NBA draft, as of now, holding onto five first-round picks. Due to that, they could use them to move up. If there was a player that Brooklyn truly loved with the No. 15 pick, there's no reason they couldn't trade some combination of picks 22, 26 and 27 to do so.

If this move did happen, OKC would likely conduct another trade in the first round. This would leave them with more first-rounders than they started with in 2025, which probably wasn't the goal. The Nets would give them a perfect way to move back and create even more capital with a second trade, moving either both or one of those picks.

For a team like Brooklyn, it seems like they'll do anything to bolster up their team right now. If someone they like falls to No. 15, there should be nothing that stops them from moving up and going there.

Phoenix Gets Younger

If the Suns truly wanted to add more youth to their team after a recent blockbuster trade that sent star forward Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, they probably could. They have the No. 28 pick, along with Houston's pick at No. 10 and multiple second-rounders.

A combination of the No. 28 pick and picks 52 or 59 would certainly enable them to move up to 24, or even 15. If this is something they truly wanted to do, the Thunder should be a team they call. Taking flyers on players in the second round with a cheap salary might make more sense than a first-rounder with more contract money.

Predicting what the Thunder will do with Presti as the general manager seems to be unpredictable now. It could go many ways, all of which are very possible. If gaining more draft capital this year and in the coming years is his goal, then watch for that to happen.

Round 1 of the 2025 NBA draft kicks off at 7:00 p.m. CT on