The Growing List of OKC Thunder Transactions
Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has shown no hesitation taking on contracts in order to gain additional draft picks. In turn, OKC has been a frequent partner with veteran players looking for a new home.
A prime example of this being Kemba Walker’s transactional period in OKC. The former All-NBA talent was traded to the Thunder by the Celtics so Boston could avoid paying Walker the full extent of his over $26 million contract. Walker was sent to Oklahoma City in exchange for Al Horford, Moses Brown and a future second round pick.
After OKC agreed to pay the remainder of Walker’s salary, the point guard was free to sign wherever he chose. Walker, who inked a deal with the Knicks, would go on to have the worst statistical season of his career over his 37 games in New York. The four-time all-star was traded to Detroit during the 2022 draft.
This offseason, the Denver Nuggets shipped JaMychal Green and a 2027 first round pick to Oklahoma City for a second round pick in 2022 and 2023 as well as the draft rights to 2022 first round pick Peyton Watson. Thunder fans knew that Green would likely never suit up for OKC, and expected a trade or buyout scenario.
Oklahoma City completed Green’s buyout on July 20th, saving the team over $2.5 million. The former Nuggets forward signed with the defending champion Golden State Warriors later in the offseason.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, Austin Rivers was sent to OKC in a three team trade. Rivers, like Green and Walker, did not fit in with the Thunder’s rebuilding timeline, and was waived. The son of long-time player and coach Doc Rivers signed with the Nuggets and averaged 8.7 points per game for the remainder of the season.
Prior to that season, Oklahoma City began its rebuild, firing Billy Donovan and dishing out Dennis Schröder, Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari in separate trades. In return, Trevor Ariza, Danny Green, George Hill, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Ricky Rubio all were traded to the Thunder in the offseason.
Presti then turned these players into even more draft picks, trading Rubio to Minnesota for James Johnson, a 2024 second round pick and the draft rights to Aleksej Pokusevski while Oubre Jr. was sent to the Warriors in return for a 2021 first round pick and two 2021 second round picks. Green and two other players were shipped to Philadelphia in return for Al Horford, a 2025 first round pick, Vasilije Micic (who has yet to play an NBA game) and Theo Maledon.
While these transactions make it appear as though the Thunder were undergoing wholesale roster changes, the team was trimming its veterans in an effort to stockpile draft picks and create a youthful roster that could grow and develop right in front of the eyes of its hometown fans. Two years later, OKC’s roster looks almost completely different, but the newest iteration of the Thunder is ready to earn its keep in the Western Conference.
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