OKC expertly navigated the NBA trade deadline, securing a sharpshooter and benefiting from rivals' moves. Discover how these strategic plays cement their deadline victory.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won the NBA trade deadline.
Sure, they only added one player to the roster. And he wasn't a superstar name. But the culmination of the moves made around the league in their entirety fell into place in such a way that potentially benefited Oklahoma City greatly.
Here's the five reasons why the Thunder won the trade deadline.
1. OKC trades for Jared McCain. Sam Presti somehow talked Daryl Morey into letting go of a 21 year old sharpshooter who was the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year last season until a torn meniscus ended his campaign. McCain's skillset fits exactly with the Thunder's biggest need. And the upside is huge. It's rare to see a defending champion go out and add a high ceiling player on a rookie deal, but that's Presti for you.
2. Clippers trade away James Harden and Ivica Zubac. Any Thunder fan worth their weight in Rumble snacks knows that OKC owns the Clippers' 2026 and 2027 1st round picks. Los Angeles has been one of the hottest teams in the league lately and that 2026 1st was losing value every day. The Clippers (smartly) pivoting to a rebuild and sending out their second and third best players is a boon to those picks.
3. Jazz trade for Jaren Jackson Jr. Oklahoma City also owns Utah's 2026 1st round pick, but it is top 8 protected. Before this trade for the former Defensive Player of the Year, there was little to no hope of that pick conveying to OKC. While it's still very unlikely to end up in the 9 spot or later, there is at least that Jim Carrey quote in Dumb and Dumber chance of it happening now.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo stays in Milwaukee. This is one that every Western Conference contender can agree upon. Nobody that cheers for the Thunder, Nuggets, Spurs, Lakers or Rockets wanted to see yet another top five player in the NBA end up in the West with the Timberwolves or Warriors. Especially alongside Anthony Edwards in Minnesota. Whew.
5. Main competitors stay pat. The teams directly below the Thunder in the league standings made no moves to improve their rosters. West rivals Denver, San Antonio and Houston added no players. Eastern Conference #1 seed Detroit added no players. The Wolves made a savvy deal by picking up underrated combo guard Ayo Dosunmu. The Cavs, of course, swapped Darius Garland for James Harden. The Lakers went all in on the all offense/no defense identity and traded for Luke Kennard. The Knicks added Jose Alvarado and the Celtics got a center in Nikola Vučević. All in all, the balance of power was not shifted in any meaningful way at the deadline. Which should suit the best team in the NBA just fine.