OKC Thunder Pursuing Shocking Move in 2025 NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Svyato Rovenchuk | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 1:06 PM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder are lording over the rest of the NBA as the 2024-25 champions of the league. However, that success will not breed contentment for Sam Presti.

The first big checkpoint for the Thunder in their pursuit of repeating as champions, something that has not been done since the Golden State Warriors in 2018, will be the 2025 NBA Draft. There is reportedly already a gameplan of how to make the most of it.

The Thunder have three picks in this year's draft. 15, 24, and 44 will all be available to them. Their roster projects to be full, if they pick up the team options on Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell.

There are certainly not three extra spots available for all of those picks. This means Presti will need to be creative with how to best resolve that issue.

ESPN's NBA Draft expert Jonathan Givony is reporting the Thunder have an obvious way around this that they are already considering. It may be as obvious as people think.

"I keep hearing rumblings that the Thunder are trying to move up," Givony told ESPN viewers. "They have 15, 24, 44. They could package all three of those picks, look to move up four or five slots, maybe six to Toronto."

The draft analyst continued:

"It's not clear on their roster that they have any real needs right now, so they can afford to take a swing on a high upside prospect who fits that defensive DNA that won them a championship.

Someone like Noa Essengue, like a Collin Murray-Boyles, like a Joan Beringer, a young teenager who knows how to defend, knows how to bring physicality, knows how to play without the ball, all characteristics that the Oklahoma City Thunder covet.

And these guys have been doing a lot of work. They've been conducting many workouts. I think they're going to be ready on Wednesday."

It is clear from Givony's report that the excitement in 2025 will not be ending for the Thunder with just a championship. They have plenty more up their sleeve.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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