Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Have a Case For Trading Back in the 2024 NBA Draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder have a case for trading back in the 2024 NBA Draft with a polarizing draft class that could benefit contending teams.

Sam Presti speaks to the press in Oklahoma City, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

The Oklahoma City Thunder will have a lot of critical decisions to make this offseason as they look to bolster their 57-win ball club from a season ago that sniffed a Western Conference Finals berth as they fell just shy of the achievement losing in six games to the eventual conference, the Dallas Mavericks. 

The first affair of the offseason will be the 2024 NBA Draft at the end of June just mere days after a new Champion is crowned. 

While many offer criticisms of this class, Thunder General Manager Sam Presti actually likes this year’s crop of prospects and for good reason. 

Despite it being a bad draft for franchises yet to capture a franchise cornerstone, teams like Oklahoma City looking to improve their roster and get over the hump can vastly improve thanks to the litter of pro-ready contributors. 

As Oklahoma City owns the No. 12 pick in this month’s draft, the Thunder have the luxury of flexibility. Trading up, moving back or staying put are all viable options for the organization. 

However, with future draft classes projecting to be much stronger than the 2024 crop and the drop off between No. 12 and a minor shift back not being negligible - it could make for the perfect trade-back recipe. 

With Oklahoma City picking up future draft capital in more talent-rich classes while still nabbing a contributor with their long selection this year. 

Given the lack of true consensus throughout this draft board, there is a larger-than-normal chance of a draft night faller in the eyes of NBA decision-makers. Should someone’s circled prospect drop to No. 12 Presti and company would have the best of both worlds. 

Stiles Points

• The Oklahoma City Thunder will see Chet Holmgren take a year two leap perhaps in large part due to his teammates.
• With Oklahoma City in plenty of mock trades, rumors, speculations and downright fibs it is important to keep in mind how often these are off-base. Over the weekend, a mock trade was sweeping through the social media world. However, the verbiage of the tweet to spark conversation was anything but a report.
• Other teams believe Isaiah Hartenstein is a perfect target for the Oklahoma City Thunder despite his potentially steep price tag.
• Could a surprising draft night fall unfold to gift OKC a premier scorer? At least one Mock Draft thinks so.
• Summer Time is the most overrated time of the year. Sure, boats and beverages are cool, but you go out on the water once you have kinda accomplished everything there is to do. Meanwhile, it is scorching hot the majority of the time, the sports calendar quickly turns for the lowest dip of the year and without the benefit of summer vacation, it is just routine months with worse weather.

Song of the Day: Movin' Out by Billy Joel

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