The OKC Thunder traded away three core players this offseason in cost-cutting moves, but managed to get a jab in on the San Antonio Spurs in the process.
Last season, the San Antonio Spurs had the Oklahoma City Thunder's number. They beat them in the NBA Cup, went 3-1 in the regular season, and then sent them home in the Western Conference Finals.
Granted, OKC was without Jalen Williams for much of the postseason, but the Spurs were able to establish themselves as the best team in the conference. This summer, the Spurs added Tobias Harris in free agency. They did not lose a single rotation player. The Thunder, meanwhile, traded away Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe in cost-cutting moves.
Even while they lost talent, though, the Thunder were able to get a jab in at the Spurs' expense.
Thunder Impact Spurs' Long-Term Outlook
Joe was sent to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for two second-round picks. Dort was sent to the Atlanta Hawks for three second-round picks, and Wiggins was dealt to Atlanta in a separate deal for two more picks.
Why is any of that significant for trhe Spurs?
On an episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, a fan suggested the idea that the reason why Sam Presti and the Thunder were so eager to deal with the Hawks was to mess with the Spurs. After all, San Antonio is owed Atlanta's first-round pick in 2027.
Sending Dort and Wiggins to the Hawks for five second-round picks certainly makes Atlanta better, tanking the Spurs' draft odds.
"It's not like he got a lot for Lu Dort, he got a couple of seconds, I'm sure there were a few teams that would offer that," Simmons said. "But I wonder, so you think Presti is that devious?"
Presti is known as the best executive in the NBA, so it shouldn't be surprising that he picks his trade partners carefully.
"That doesn't even sound like a conspiracy to me, that just sounds like strategy," added Joe House.
Of course, the odds of Presti sending any of his players to a Western Conference rival seem low. The Hawks, after moving on from Trae Young, have become convinced that they can hang in the Eastern Conference. Nabbing Dort and Wiggins should help, and if they can have a solid regular season, the Spurs might pick in the 20s for the second season in a row, courtesy of Atlanta.
There is quality talent to be found late in the NBA Draft, although it's never a guarantee. Presti has hoarded more draft picks than anyone else, so he's very familiar with that notion.
