Report: Thunder to Look at Moving Up in 2023 NBA Draft
Following a 40-win season, the Oklahoma City Thunder will look to take another step forward in the 2023-24 campaign. Outside of natural development and the addition of Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City will also have the chance to add a lottery talent to the roster.
After landing the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, there's a clear pathway to doing just that. However, there's also the option of moving up to ensure the prospect that's added to this Thunder team is an even better pick.
The Athletic’s John Hollinger recently put out a report about all of the rumblings related to potential draft moves. He mentioned the Thunder as a team who could look to trade their No. 12 selection.
“In Oklahoma City’s case, it’s still a long-term play, but the idea is that the Thunder would use their surfeit of future picks to move up in this lottery,” said Hollinger. “They somehow have only one pick this year but are likely to have four firsts in 2024 and still have four future firsts from other teams in 2025 and beyond.”
While it's unlikely the Thunder move up more than a few spots, simply given how much capital it would take, moving up a couple of picks makes a ton of sense. If Sam Presti wants to go get his guy in the middle of the lottery, it should be obtainable to do so.
With how many future picks Oklahoma City has, it could be time to start consolidating to really push this young roster forward with another elite talent.
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