NBA Mock Trade: Thunder Acquire No. 6 Pick in 2023 Draft

Oklahoma City has enough future draft assets to trade up for a top ten pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Inside the Thunder takes a look at what it will look like for the Thunder to land the sixth overall pick.

Currently, Orlando is slated to select at No. 6 in Thursday’s NBA Draft. The Magic have one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA, which might make it difficult to pry away a valuable top ten pick. At the same time, however, Orlando has a potential All-NBA caliber player in Paolo Banchero and a potential future All Star in Franz Wagner, meaning the team isn’t quite hurting for young talent and could elect to trade for more firsts down the line and a specific player of need.

The sixth spot is a strange place to be in the 2023 NBA Draft, which appears to have a loaded top four. Victor Wembenyama, Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller and Amen Thompson seem all but penciled in at this point, and while the Rockets could pull a wild card at No. 4, the draft seems to really start at No. 5 with the Pistons. If Cam Whitmore is the pick in Detroit, No. 6 could be an enticing selection for a team like Oklahoma City.

The Thunder have been linked to players like Jarace Walker and Taylor Hendricks throughout the pre-draft process — in part, simply because of the team’s lack of front court presence. But as you break it down even further, both Walker and Hendricks have serious qualities that compliments Oklahoma City’s current core and makes both players incredible valuable in the modern NBA. Each forward could slide in next to Chet Holmgren and add advantages on both sides of the ball. 

It also opens the door for the Thunder to snag one of the highest ceiling prospects in Ausar Thompson. Even though Oklahoma City doesn't necessarily need another guard, the team will typically always draft best player available.

Trading up in the NBA Draft, especially into the top ten, is usually much harder said than done. But if Orlando wants to give its core another year to grow while still adding top-end talent in the draft, trading back to No. 12 while adding future assets including a 2024 first round pick could make sense. Oklahoma City’s impending roster crunch is getting closer and closer, and even though Jeremiah Robinson-Earl showed promise as a solid role player off the bench, he could benefit from a change of scenery. Orlando has a few solid front court options, but players like Jonathan Isaac haven’t been able to stay healthy. Taking a flier on JRE and extra draft capital wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Magic.

If Oklahoma City truly believes in Walker or Hendricks — or whoever else Sam Presti could’ve possibly zeroed in on at No. 6 — trading future assets is worth it. The core of this team is ready to grow together, and adding one last piece to the puzzle could start the group’s upward trajectory.

Oklahoma City’s Offer: No. 12 pick, Utah protected top-10 2024 first round pick, Sixers 2025 second round pick, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

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