The Oklahoma City Thunder are off to a 20-1 start, and poised to get even better in the years to come. That has the rest of the NBA very worried.
The Thunder could own as many as three lottery picks in 2026 as a result of past trades depending on how things go. The team owns the Los Angeles Clippers’ first-round pick as a result of the Paul George trade, and with the Clippers off to a 5-16 start, it looks entirely possible that pick could wind up landing very high in the lottery.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon revealed Monday that the league is in a “panic” that Oklahoma City might add another lottery talent as a result of that pick.
“The league is in a panic about the Thunder owning the Clippers’ picks these next couple years,” MacMahon said on ESPN’s “NBA Today.”
"The league is in a panic about the Thunder owning the Clippers picks these next couple years." 😳@BannedMacMahon on the Clippers after their 5-15 start ✍️ pic.twitter.com/pz2Ko9D3NA
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 1, 2025
The Thunder also have the Utah Jazz’s first-round pick, though that one is top-eight protected. The Philadelphia 76ers would also owe the Thunder their own first-round pick if it falls outside of the top four. Next year, the Thunder have another pick swap with the Clippers as well.
In other words, the Thunder may be lined up to add even more young talent to what is already the NBA’s best team over the next two years or so. They already have their core locked up long-term, and if they get this right, they could become an absolute juggernaut.
The Clippers, meanwhile, are in a horrible position. They look like they are in for a long season, but are unlikely to have anything to show for it in terms of draft picks. That could lessen their incentive to break up the squad, but it is unclear how they plan to turn things around.
