The defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder aren't just good - they're setting up a dynasty. With 13 first-round picks over the next six years, plus 16 second-rounders, general manager Sam Presti has assembled the most valuable draft capital stockpile in NBA history.
Let that sink in. Thirteen. First. Round. Picks.
The rich just keep getting richer in Oklahoma City, and it's either genius-level management or a sign that something's broken in the NBA's trade system. Maybe both.
This is unprecedented front-office wizardry, folks. Presti has been playing chess while everyone else played checkers. He traded Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and others for what seemed like pennies on the dollar - but those pennies turned into a fortune of draft picks.
Then he used some of those picks to build a championship team around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. They won the title. And they still have 13 first-rounders coming.
How did Presti pull this off? It started with the Paul George trade to the Clippers in 2019, which netted a haul including multiple unprotected picks and pick swaps. Then came the Westbrook deal to Houston. The Chris Paul flip to Phoenix. Each transaction carefully calculated to maximize future assets.
But here's what makes it remarkable: Presti didn't just hoard picks and tank. He built a winner. The Thunder won 57 games this season, rolled through the playoffs, and brought Oklahoma City its first championship since the franchise moved from Seattle.
And now? They can keep this core together AND add high-end talent through the draft for the next six years. They can package picks for superstars. They can absorb bad contracts in exchange for more picks. They have flexibility that no other team can match.
