Thunder Could Look to Trade Back in 2023 NBA Draft

It certainly won’t earn you favor with the Oklahoma City Thunder fanbase, but trading back is going to be an option for the team in the 2023 NBA Draft.

For now, the Thunder own the twelfth overall selection in the draft. And while many seem to be prepping for a massive move up that includes offloading future capital, a move back feels just as likely from this end.

For starters, no one can get a bead on who the Thunder like with their lottery selection. There’s quite literally near-twenty names floating around that pick alone.

Kobe Bufkin, Cason Wallace, Leonard Miller, Bilal Coulibaly, Gradey Dick, Jordan Hawkins, Keyonte George, Rayan Rupert, Dariq Whitehead, Maxwell Lewis, Dereck Lively, Sidy Cissoko and Nick Smith Jr. have all at one time or another been thought of as potential draft targets, be it reporting or assumptions.

Firstly, that’s a talented list. One that could include several future impactful NBA players. And if that’s the case, maximizing not only your chances at two prospects, but hitting on potential high-impact pieces, is never a bad thing. And that’s exactly what Oklahoma City could look to do by trading back.

For example, if Miller and Whitehead happen to fall at the end of that list for several teams, but range higher for OKC, they could capitalize by trading out and still managing to grab the prospect they were aiming for at 12 and another they value highly.

The two likeliest partners right now appear to be the Utah Jazz (picks No. 16 and 28) and the Brooklyn Nets (picks No. 21 and 22).

Either could offer Oklahoma City its chance at multiple swings in the first round. Regardless, the Thunder are likely to make some noise on draft night, be it a trade up, back or everything in between.

The 2023 NBA Draft kicks off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 22.

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