Best Trade-Up Scenarios for OKC Thunder on Day 1 of NBA Draft

The NBA moves quick, doesn't it?

Just three days after the Oklahoma City Thunder captured its first-ever NBA championship, it will make its selections in the 2025 NBA Draft. Currently, it holds the No. 15 pick (from Clippers via Heat), No. 24 (via Clippers) and No. 44 (via Hawks).

There's already discussion that Oklahoma City could look to make moves ahead of the draft. With its chest of future draft picks alongside the No. 15 pick, trading up for a top-10 selection could be within reason if teams around the league will bite. Even without any players on the table, the Thunder could outbid most.

Pairing another high-upside talent to the Oklahoma City corps would be yet another huge addition for the future. It will likely try to run it back with mostly — if not completely — the same team, but a rookie of that status has the path to receive a bench role on the roster.

If the Thunder find a way to inch higher in the draft, here are a few partners that could find a deal:

Phoenix Suns

Just a few days ago, the Houston Rockets claimed the No. 10 pick. But when Kevin Durant was available on the market, they had no choice but to include their top draft pick to acquire the future Hall of Fame forward.

That leaves the Phoenix Suns in a strange predicament. While that pick could be useful in starting a rebuild, it still has an All-Star in Devin Booker who is in the position to compete for the playoffs. Jalen Green, while young, helped the Rockets reach the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference just this past season.

It's up in the air for what direction the Suns want to go in, but it could possibly find the appeal in getting more assets for the future, instead of using this pick. It could receive a package of the picks Oklahoma City has in this draft, while also having the option to build its stock back up.

For the Thunder, it's an option that requires less of an immense trade package to reach up to. South Carolina's Collin Murray-Boyles could very well be on be on the table by that point — an elite defensive prosepct that would make its defensive unit even more unbearable for opponents.

Phoenix might want a player, but it wouldn't sacrifice anything too severe for Oklahoma City. It's on the very border of the top 10, though that is all it really needs.

Toronto Raptors

While the Toronto Raptors finished with just 30 wins last season, with Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett, they have the tools to certainly compete for a Play-In Tournament spot.

Toronto might turn to its No. 9 pick and use that to get younger, but it could also be used in a trade package to get more experienced players on the roster, or even simply get future assets for trades down the road. The Thunder has both options at its disposal.

There isn't a big enough difference between No. 9 and No. 10 to really jack up the asking price from Oklahoma City, but it could be the difference between a player it has even higher on its radar. Forward Noa Essengue out of France will go higher or lower depending on who you ask, but No. 9 could be the absolute sweet spot to select him.

Essengue is in the same mold as many of the prospects general manager Sam Presti likes to look at, but his potential is on the higher end. He projects as another plus-defender, while also boasting a strong offensive game inside the paint. If he drops even further than the top 10, expect the Thunder to pounce.

New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are another team at somewhat of a crossroads, but by dealing away CJ McCollum to the Washington Wizards, it seems like the franchise is opting to go younger again.

In return, New Orleans received Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey — two solid young players who can also compete now. If it plays its cards right, it could compete for the Play-In Tournament next season, but that depends on what it wants to do with the No. 7 pick.

If the Pelicans decided to move away from their spot, Oklahoma City could add a plethora of future draft capital to acquire the pick. A player would make the most sense with this trade compared to the previous two, but getting a top-seven player in the draft likely calls for some sacrifice.

If Essengue gets drafted on the higher end, it might be required for the Thunder to move this high. Texas' Tre Johnson, Duke's Khaman Maluach and Rutgers' Ace Bailey could all be on the board, however, providing Oklahoma City with lots of strong options and potentially higher ceilings.