The OKC Thunder not only find themselves beelining it to becoming the third team in league history to earn 70 or more wins, but also earn a high-end lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft along the way.
As a result of the gift that keeps on giving 2019 blockbuster that essentially swapped Paul George for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City owns the unprotected rights to the LA Clippers' upcoming first-round pick, which, considering their putrid start to the campaign (5-11) and continued injury woes, seems on its way to becoming a top 10 selection.
It's easy to assume that Los Angeles would enjoy nothing more than to regain full ownership of their 2026 draft rights, and, based on a recent hypothetical proposal by The Athletic's Sam Vecenie, there very well could be a way for this to happen, though it would cost one of their last remaining valuable assets in the process.