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Oklahoma City will again have a stockpile of draft picks next offseason, and it now has a better idea of where those picks could land.
The NBA released the 2024-25 schedule on Thursday, and the Thunder know about not only their schedule but also the schedules of each team set to convey a pick to them next year. Thanks to trades throughout the Thunder’s rebuild, GM Sam Presti could own up to four first-round picks next season, with draft picks from five other teams in play.
The Thunder’s trades over the past few years have put them in a position to potentially receive a 2025 first-rounder from the LA Clippers, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers. The Thunder will have the ability to swap its pick for either the Clippers’ or Rockets’ pick protected 1-10, while the other three teams would convey based on protections.
The Clippers' situation will be the most interesting for the Thunder to keep an eye on, as it is the only unprotected pick. With Paul George and Russell Westbrook gone, the team will rely on Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, who have had plenty of injury concerns in recent years.
Paired with their league-leading 16 back-to-backs and 13 games with a rest disadvantage, they could be in trouble. Meanwhile, Houston might be more likely to convey on paper, but with the pick protected for the top 10, Oklahoma City’s best bet is for a Rocket’s play-in appearance.
While Paul George’s free agency helped improve one pick, it might lock another into the late first round. The Thunder holds Philadelphia’s pick protected in the top six next season. Barring injuries, the 76ers pick is unlikely to be affected by their middle-of-the-pack rankings in rest and back-to-backs.
Perhaps the least likely pick to convey would be Utah’s top-10 protected pick. As the Jazz continue to rebuild, getting into the play-in race and out of the top 10 seems unlikely, but the Thunder could make an impact on that pick if they do.
Albeit unlikely, Oklahoma City could be in a position to tank for its pick from Utah, as those teams will match up in the 81st game. If the Thunder’s seed is secured and the Jazz are on the border of keeping their pick, a tank-off could be in store.
Despite the many possibilities elsewhere, Miami appears to be the Thunder’s surefire situation to earn a nice pick. Miami has hovered around the East play-in spots for the past couple of years and their pick is protected for the lottery in 2025. However, if Miami even narrowly misses out on the playoffs, that pick will convey in 2026 as an unprotected pick.
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