OKC Thunder Must Get Value Back in Potential Isaiah Joe Trade

The sharpshooter is among the Thunder players who could be on the move, but OKC must get value in return.

May 24, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) moves the ball in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game four of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City still has some big decisions to make this offseason, but it shouldn’t sacrifice value for financial relief.

After making three picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Thunder now have some key decisions to make as they look to put the finishing touches on the roster for next season. With options and possible impending free agency for Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams, the Thunder’s choices over the next several days will determine how much different the roster might look next season.

While Cason Wallace’s potential extension is also near the top of the list, Isaiah Joe will be a name to watch on the trade market in the coming days and weeks. Again left on the outside of the playoff rotation, Joe’s time with the Thunder could be coming to an end in the near future.

After growing into one of the league’s best 3-point shooters throughout his tenure, Joe still wasn’t able to crack the Thunder’s postseason rotation in 2026, particularly in later rounds. Although that makes him expendable from Oklahoma City’s perspective in a similar way to Aaron Wiggins, the Thunder can’t accept similar value in return.

While Wiggins had fallen out of the rotation as well, he was in the midst of a down season where he couldn’t find a real rhythm at any point. Meanwhile, Joe’s struggles and lack of playing time were almost entirely tied to the postseason.

In the regular season, Joe averaged 11.1 points and shot 42.3% from beyond the arc, both career-bests for the sharpshooter. Taking roughly six threes per game, Joe’s volume shows that he is one of the premier outside shooters in the entire league.

Sure, his postseason numbers, which include a dropoff to 34.8% from deep, are a concern for any interested team. However, he almost certainly would’ve remained in the rotation for most teams around the league that would’ve used him the way Oklahoma City did throughout the regular season.

Ultimately, Joe’s potential departure via trade would be a matter of Oklahoma City looking for a bit more financial relief and clearing a roster spot. Yet, the Thunder’s return should be indicative of the fact that Joe is an elite outside shooter who has been a key piece of the best team in the NBA and has two years and $22.6 million left on his deal.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the Thunder will be looking to add more talent to the roster in any Joe trade, but their return should be a clear upgrade over the two second-round picks received for Wiggins.