This is the surprising plan of the Thunder for the NBA Draft 2026

Total ambition and limitless audacity. That is what characterizes Sam Presti as General Manager and what has enabled Oklahoma City Thunder to build a championship team. They have two first-round picks in the NBA Draft 2026 and already know what to do with them.

Much has been said about the difficulties that the management of Oklahoma City Thunder will face in maintaining the competitive core that has made them champions, due to the high salaries that players like Hartenstein or Holmgren will demand. Sam Presti is clear that they will have to part ways with several key rotation players, and in order to sustain this competitive level, they need to make very astute selections in the NBA Draft 2026. That's why he has devised a plan.

REPORT: The Thunder are fully expected to trade their picks 12, 17, and 37 to try and move into the top 10, per @WindhorstESPN 🤯

OKC only has ONE roster spot available and wouldn’t be able to draft all three players. pic.twitter.com/BtED0Zd2Bh

— Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) May 20, 2026

Although there were rumors about them drafting Aday Mara, the truth is they are willing to trade all their picks (12, 17, and 37) in order to access a top-10 pick. They have identified a lot of talent in this NBA Draft 2026 and know that by selecting within that range, they could acquire a player ready to contribute significantly to a team of high competitive demands. This suggests the idea that the Spanish player might not be in their plans or, on the contrary, given the interest he has generated across all franchises, he could be chosen before the 12th pick.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Este es el sorprendente plan de los Thunder para el NBA Draft 2026