Why The Oklahoma City Thunder Do The Deal 

The Thunder were dealt a devastating blow already this summer. Chet Holmgren, their second overall pick in the 2022 draft, will miss the entire season with a foot injury. 

With that said, don’t be surprised if the Thunder are a bit more competitive than expected next season. This young group has had a year to grow, and they delivered a decent defensive season in 2021-22. Led by a star like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder could even make a run at the play-in tournament next season. 

For this organization, that’s a problem. 

Everybody knows the Thunder are “tanking”. They’ve been optimizing their lottery odds for several seasons. Veering off course now, just before one of the most exciting drafts in recent memory, could be a questionable decision.

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If the Thunder want to preserve their place in the Victor Wembenyama / Scoot Henderson sweepstakes, they could look to move Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this summer. 

This deal has them doing so in return for what we know they covet most – picks. In total, the Rockets give up four first-round picks and two swaps in return for SGA here. Is that a cost they can afford?