How NBA's investigation of Clippers impacts Thunder

As the NBA continues to investigate the Los Angeles Clippers for allegedly circumventing the salary cap, there is talk that the league might penalize the franchise by forcing it to relinquish future draft picks.

In such a scenario, would the Oklahoma City Thunder — who own the rights to a 2027 unprotected first-round pick swap with the Clippers — be impacted? The Athletic's John Hollinger, a former NBA executive, explained why the Thunder would still receive the most favorable draft compensation in 2027, while the Clippers forfeit their pick swap. 

"...The Clippers' swap partners in 2027 [Thunder] and 2029 [76ers] would be unaffected by such a penalty," Hollinger wrote. "The surrendered Clippers pick in 2027 would be the lesser of its own, Oklahoma City's or Denver's, and in 2029 the lesser of its own or Philadelphia's."

Los Angeles Clippers could surrender five draft picks

The harshest penalty the Clippers could face would be giving up five first-round picks, the most the Steve Ballmer-owned franchise would be eligible to forfeit. Those picks would be the Clippers' own selections in 2030, 2031 and 2032, and the pick swaps in 2027 and 2029, where the Thunder and 76ers stand to benefit. The 2029 draft could present an interesting scenario since the 76ers' pick swap with the Clippers has a 1-3 protection, Hollinger noted.

"If the Clippers landed in the top three in 2029, that swap is protected 1-3, and thus it would just be straight-up forfeited — a bonanza for whatever team landed directly behind them in the lottery. The Sixers would then pick in their regular spot."

In 1999, the NBA infamously penalized the Minnesota Timberwolves by stripping them of five future first-round picks for circumventing the salary cap. Some of these picks were later reinstated due to good behavior and cooperation from Timberwolves ownership. Many analysts believe the Clippers' case is more severe and warrants a harsher penalty.