OKC Thunder Take Early Initiative to Spread Assets

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti has had a very obvious rebuild plan. As a small market, the Thunder are in the best position to compete long-term by stockpiling draft picks and loading up on assets.

Eventually, though, assets catch up, and the Thunder recently held four first-round picks for the 2024 NBA Draft, just one year away.
Given the current roster situation, drafting four first-round players in the next draft isn’t a feasible task. This is where the start of the asset spreading began. The Thunder traded with the Denver Nuggets for a 2029 protected first-round pick. They already own the Nuggets 2027 first-round pick, too, both being protected.

In the trade, the Thunder shipped out pick No. 37 in the upcoming draft, the least favorable of their four 2024 first-round picks and a second rounder in next years’ draft as well.

This trade proves that the Thunder are willing to shop out second-rounders and short-term picks to spread out their assets for the future.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren all ahead of their prime years, the it’s in the Thunder’s best interest to hold onto as many assets as they can to see how their prime years pan out before selling their assets to make roster adjustments needed to compete with their talent.

There’s a variety of ways the Thunder could capitalize on their assets to compete for a championship, but most of those profitable ideas happen down the road after the Thunder stay patient and ride out the talent they’ve compiled.

Considering Presti’s asset collection and young talent on the team, he’s primed himself for the exact situation he wants – to be patient and stay ahead of the curve. By trading his assets back by years, though 2029 seems far away, Presti has stayed true to his word thus far into the rebuild, and has put his money where his mouth is.

Though spreading out assets doesn’t directly benefit the Thunder this early, there’s less room for error and it’ll be hard to analyze the trade until the Thunder inevitably find their way into their championship window down the road.

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