Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder already have the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, but that may not be the entirety of their activity in the top 10.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported the Thunder are "aggressively pursuing trade conversations" surrounding the 12th overall pick. Were they to move up, Purdue's Jaden Ivey and Kentucky signee Shaedon Sharpe would be among their preferred targets.

Givony and Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman both project OKC to take Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren at No. 2. Imagine a frontcourt that includes a pair of 7-footers in Holmgren and Aleksej Pokusevski.

Holmgren and Pokusevski could build a twin towers dynamic together, or the former could serve as insurance if the latter doesn't make a breakthrough in the NBA.

If they were to stay at No. 12, the Thunder could likely land, at worst, a solid rotation player who could help them for years to come. Taking a more aggressive approach would allow for general manager Sam Presti to really cement the organization's future. And there's no question Oklahoma City has the draft capital to make that happen without leveraging too much long term.

The Thunder's interest in Ivey and Sharpe would signal a slight alteration to their starting rotation.

Josh Giddey averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists while largely operating as a guard during the 2021-22 campaign. The arrival of another 2-guard would presumably force him to the 3, which would then have a corresponding effect on Luguentz Dort.

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported on June 16 that Dort was included in a potential trade package with the No. 12 pick in return for the seventh overall selection, which belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Adding another young guard would also give Presti more flexibility with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who's set to begin his five-year max extension in 2022-23. Because of that contract and his on-court value, dealing Gilgeous-Alexander would yield a massive haul.

The Thunder, meanwhile, could move forward with a backcourt combo of Giddey and Ivey or Sharpe.

It appears the Washington Wizards are looking at a variety of players to pair with Bradley Beal ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

The Wizards are interested in several point guards, including Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, San Antonio Spurs veteran Dejounte Murray and Indiana Pacers veteran Malcolm Brogdon, according to NBA insider Quinton Mayo.

Though Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer recently reported that the Pacers are testing the market for Brogdon, it's unclear if the Thunder would be willing to part ways with Gilgeous-Alexander or the Spurs with Murray.

Gilgeous-Alexander has become a cornerstone for the Thunder, and he had a solid 2021-22 season, averaging a career-high 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 45.3 percent from the floor and 30.0 percent from deep in 56 games.

If Oklahoma City were to part ways with the 23-year-old, it would cost Washington a pretty penny. That said, the Thunder own the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft and could use that to select a replacement for him.

We know Thunder general manager Sam Presti likes to stockpile draft picks. Would he be willing to part ways with Gilgeous-Alexander for a package of picks and players? It's worth wondering.

Murray, meanwhile, would also be difficult for the Wizards to acquire, as he also had a career year this season. The 25-year-old averaged a career-high 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and 32.7 percent from deep in 68 games.

As for Brogdon, he had a solid 2021-22 season, averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists while shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and 31.2 percent from deep in 36 games. However, the Pacers could stand to move him following the acquisition of Tyrese Haliburton.

With Indiana attempting to get younger, Brogdon doesn't fit the team's timeline at 29 years old. While he's not the best of the three players the Wizards desire, he would be Washington's most reasonable option.

If the Wizards don't land any of these players, they'll need to do something else to entice Beal, who has a player option for the 2022-23 season, to stay. The three-time All-Star recently said he was going to base his decision on where he feels he can win, and if he feels the Wizards can't win next season, he'll likely move on.

Washington hasn't had a winning season since the 2017-18 campaign and has made the playoffs just twice in the last five seasons. The team finished the 2021-22 season 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 35-47 record.

Former Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook was given a key to OKC on Monday.

We are so grateful for all @russwest44 has done for our city through the years, and we want him to know he’s welcome here anytime. To make sure Russ can always come back home to OKC, I gave him the Key to the City. pic.twitter.com/zrQK5yxRRf

— Mayor David Holt (@davidfholt) June 13, 2022

Russell Westbrook was given a key to the city. pic.twitter.com/HdjnJtJrvD

— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) June 13, 2022

"My foundation, we want to continue to support things in Oklahoma City as much as we can," Westbrook, who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, said during the ceremony. "This place for me was home, and it still is home for me."

His Why Not? Foundation had recently donated an outdoor futsal and basketball court to the city.

Westbrook, 33, spent 11 seasons with the Thunder, eight of them as an All-Star. He helped lead the team to nine playoff berths and one trip to the NBA Finals.

The Denver Nuggets reportedly traded forward JaMychal Green and a 2027 first-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday in exchange for the No. 30 selection in the 2022 NBA draft and a pair of future second-round choices.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported full details of the deal, including the expectation for Green to pick up the player option in his two-year, $16.4 million contract for the 2022-23 season:

Green is expected to exercise his $8.2M contract for 2022-2023. Deal gives Nuggets flexibility to use a $6.4M tax mid-level exception or an $8.2M trade exception in offseason. Nuggets expect to be a tax-paying team. Thunder have $31M in cap space to absorb Green salary.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 13, 2022

Green played a limited role for the Nuggets in 2021-22. His 16.2 minutes per game represented his lowest figure since the 2014-15 campaign with the Memphis Grizzlies. He averaged 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds across 67 appearances.

In addition, the 31-year-old University of Alabama product shot just 26.6 percent from three-point range. It represented a sharp decline after he knocked down 39.5 percent of his shots from beyond the arc over the previous three seasons, which gave him value as a stretch 4.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone praised Green in February for making the most of his chances in what became a crowded frontcourt rotation.

"But having a guy like JaMychal Green, who's a pro, who's a man, who's a veteran and who just brings toughness and physicality every single night, and he's, kind of, the head of that second unit, in terms of that defensive frontline, protecting the basket, that's terrific," Malone told reporters.

The Thunder featured a lot of small-ball lineups throughout this past season with Darius Bazley and Isaiah Roby (both 6'8'') often filling the frontcourt spots. Green (also 6'8'') fits that mold, which should make for a smooth transition.

OKC is in the midst of trying to turn a corner in its rebuilding process with a young core that's led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (age 23), Luguentz Dort (23) and Josh Giddey (19), so it's unclear whether Green will stick for the long haul.

That said, the former G League All-Star should provide solid reserve minutes and veteran leadership for the Thunder at a key turning-point part of the rebuild.

The financial flexibility is the biggest part of the deal for Denver as it seeks to make some additions in the offseason after getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors, who are currently facing the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

It's unlikely the player the Nuggets select at No. 30 will make an immediate impact since the draft class doesn't feature a ton of depth. The draft is set for June 23.

Auburn star Jabari Smith apparently doesn't expect to wait long to hear his name on the night of the 2022 NBA draft.

Smith worked out for the Orlando Magic, who have the No. 1 pick, on Thursday.

Auburn’s Jabari Smith is in the building. pic.twitter.com/8I9pSshmEz

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) June 9, 2022

The 6'10" forward indicated he has another workout on the schedule with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will select second overall. And that's the extent of his predraft workouts for the time being.

Smith is widely considered to be one of the best players in the 2022 draft class, and it might be a bit of a surprise if he were to slip to the Houston Rockets with the third pick.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked Smith as the No. 3 player on his big board but projected him to go No. 1 to the Magic:

This was a fitting year for the Magic to win the lottery, as they can finally add the franchise big man they've needed to pair with Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. Smith figures to be the target for the NBA's No. 29 offense and No. 28 three-point shooting team. He'll give Orlando's guards a target to kick to or feature around the post. And though it's unclear what will happen with restricted free agent Mo Bamba, they'd pair well together because of Smith's perimeter skills and Bamba's shot-blocking.

The 19-year-old checks all of the boxes teams are looking for with a modern big. In his only year at Auburn, he averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. He also shot 42.9 percent from the floor and 42.0 percent from beyond the arc.

And unlike with Gonzaga star Chet Holmgren, there isn't much concern about whether Smith can absorb the kind of physicality he'll encounter at the next level.

The NBA draft is always difficult to forecast, and that can start at the very top. As good as Smith is, he's not the clear consensus favorite.

In addition to Holmgren, the Magic could plausibly take Duke star Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 player on Wasserman's board. The same goes for the Thunder if they have some combination of Smith, Holmgren or Banchero available.

But it's understandable the Rockets aren't really on Smith's radar right now given how highly he's regarded.

The Oklahoma City Thunder reportedly attempted to trade up in the 2021 NBA draft to select Evan Mobley.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski revealed the Thunder's unsuccessful negotiations on his podcast: 

"Last year they tried to move up, tried to get up to three for Evan Mobley. I think if the Thunder had the No. 1 pick last year, they would have taken Mobley. He was there at three; they could not pry him out of Cleveland.

"And I think Oklahoma City has learned, and most teams learn, like, every year they're going to say, there will be teams at one, two and three, and I'll say it because teams will tell me, 'Hey, we're going to see what the pick is worth in the marketplace. We're going to listen. We're going to see how people value it.'

"But it is rare when somebody trades out of there. For all the picks the Thunder have ... Koby Altman knew what he had [in Mobley]. I don't think Sam Presti could have offered enough to get him out."

The Thunder had the Nos. 6, 16 and 17 picks in the first round of the 2021 draft. They selected Josh Giddey with the sixth selection, traded Alperen Sengun's rights at No. 16 to the Houston Rockets and added Tre Mann a pick later.

It's possible, if not likely, the Thunder offered all three of those picks to move up three slots and select Mobley, who was an instant game-changer this season in Cleveland. The USC product averaged 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game on his way to narrowly finishing second in the Rookie of the Year race behind Scottie Barnes.

The Thunder will have the No. 2 selection in this year's draft and almost certainly will focus on a frontcourt player. Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero are widely considered the top three players in this class; Holmgren and Smith better replicate what Mobley could have brought to the table in Oklahoma City, so don't be surprised if they're the players most often linked to the Thunder. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder could come away from the 2022 NBA draft with the best prospect in the class despite owning the No. 2 overall pick. 

The Thunder jumped over the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons in Tuesday's draft lottery to be positioned behind the Orlando Magic. 

Most experts believe the Magic are set on Jabari Smith or Paolo Banchero at No. 1, which leaves the Thunder an opportunity to land Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren. 

Holmgren is far from the finished product, but he would fit in perfectly in Oklahoma City as a complement to 2021 first-round pick Josh Giddey.

        

Experts In Agreement on Chet Holmgren At No. 2

Most of the NBA draft experts paired Chet Holmgren with the Thunder right after the draft lottery results were finalized. 

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, ESPN's Jonathan Givony, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie and SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell all agree on the match. 

Holmgren is the most unique prospect in the draft class. He stands at 7'3" but only weighs 195 pounds. 

The lack of weight for a big man did not deter Holmgren in his one season at Gonzaga. He averaged 14.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. He shot 60.7 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range. 

The basketball skill set is there with Holmgren, but now he has to put on weight to deal with the physical nature of the NBA.

Holmgren's complete skill set may not be on display for a few years, which is why he is a perfect fit in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder are in the middle of a long tanking process with an abundance of first-round picks available over the next few drafts. Oklahoma City also owns the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. That selection came from the Paul George trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Wasserman called Holmgren "a potential All-Defensive first-teamer to build around" in his breakdown of the Oklahoma City pick. 

Holmgren's height gives the Thunder a potentially elite rim protector, and his three-point shooting is solid for a player of his age and size. 

Vecenie outlined Holmgren's offensive strengths while breaking down what his future could hold. 

"On offense, he’s a great shooter from distance, a strong finisher at the basket and an unselfish passer. The issue is he weighs 195 pounds while playing a physical style that puts him against the biggest players in the league. How will his frame hold up? How long will it take for him to get stronger? Holmgren’s upside is higher than any other player in this class, but there is real uncertainty about his future among the NBA decision-makers who are ultimately putting their jobs on the line in drafting him."

Oklahoma City should be more than willing to take the risk on Holmgren because they are nowhere close to win-now mode.

After all, this is the team that shut down Giddey, a potential Rookie of the Year winner, near the end of the season and started G-League players to secure the best possible lottery odds. 

Oklahoma City should be a good fit for Holmgren so that he can develop into the player he can be in the NBA. 

Holmgren can have success right away because of his offensive talents, and his ceiling is through the roof if he adapts well to the physical nature of the NBA. 

The 2022 NBA draft lottery order was revealed on Tuesday night, and the Oklahoma City Thunder have landed the No. 2 overall pick.

The Orlando Magic won the No. 1 overall pick and will get their choice of Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren, Duke forward Paolo Banchero and Auburn forward Jabari Smith. The Thunder will then get the first crack at whichever two the Magic pass up.

This could be a franchise-changing draft for the Thunder, who also have the 12th pick following the 2019 trade of Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Thunder went 24-58 last season and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The franchise will be picking in the top four for the first time since the 2009 draft, when it selected James Harden with the No. 3 pick.

Oklahoma City once was one of the powerhouses of the Western Conference. The front office decided to start over and focus on developing younger players when it traded longtime point guard Russell Westbrook prior to the 2019 season.

The Thunder have a promising core led by 23-year-old point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 24.5 points in 56 games last season. Third-year wing Luguentz Dort was also solid with 17.2 points per game. Shooting guard Josh Giddey was one of the top rookies in 2021-22 with averages of 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists. 

Adding any of Smith, Banchero and Holmgren to that group would create a dangerous lineup for Oklahoma City.

Smith would provide defensive versatility and two-way production for the Thunder. Banchero is arguably the most polished offensive player in the 2022 draft, though his defensive motor is questionable. Holmgren will need some time to develop, but he has a high ceiling and can be a much-needed defensive anchor.

Whichever direction Oklahoma City chooses to go, the team appears poised to land a quality player who should be ready to contribute immediately.

Derrick Favors has exercised his $10.2 million player option with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2022-23 season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Favors told reporters in April he expected to exercise the option.

He signed a three-year deal with the Utah Jazz before the 2020-21 season, and Utah traded him and a 2024 first-round pick to the Thunder in 2021 for a 2027 second-round draft pick and cash considerations.

He appeared in 39 games during the 2021-22 season, averaging 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor. He played behind Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and also lost some minutes to Mike Muscala.

Favors, the third overall pick in the 2010 draft, began his career with the New Jersey Nets. The Nets traded him to the Jazz during his rookie season, and he spent 10 total seasons with Utah, helping the franchise reach the playoffs five times.

Favors also spent a season with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The 30-year-old, who was Oklahoma City's highest-paid player, might be traded ahead of the 2022-23 season. He doesn't fit the team's timeline and wasn't necessarily an asset last season.

That said, he could be valuable off the bench for a contender. And if he stays in Oklahoma City, his veteran presence should be welcomed.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will miss the remainder of the season, head coach Mark Daigneault told reporters before Monday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't played since March 21 because of a right ankle injury.

Gilgeous-Alexander is in his fourth NBA season and third with OKC after playing his rookie year with the Los Angeles Clippers, who sent him to the Thunder as part of a blockbuster deal for Paul George in summer 2019.

The former Kentucky star is averaging 24.5 points, 5.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game for the 21-53 Thunder, who are in the midst of a massive overhaul.

The 23-year-old Canadian figures to be part of the Thunder's future but has been sidelined on numerous occasions this season.

A sprained right ankle kept him out for two games in late November, and a concussion sidelined him in early December for a game.

He sat Dec. 29 with right ankle soreness and Jan. 2 while he was in the health and safety protocols.

Gilgeous-Alexander suffered a sprained right ankle Jan. 28 against the Indiana Pacers. He missed 10 games and returned Feb. 24. He also missed two of the last three games.

Without SGA, look for Theo Maledon and Tre Mann to pick up more minutes.