Thunder secure two first-round picks after play-in results

Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder have just secured themselves two more first-round picks in this year’s NBA Draft, including one that is in the lottery.

After Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers from the Play-In Tournament on Wednesday night, OKC now has the right to a 2026 pick swap with the Clippers. They also acquired the 76ers’ first-round pick after Philadelphia beat the Orlando Magic to secure the No. 7 seed in the East.

The Clippers’ pick was acquired in 2019 as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Paul George to Los Angeles in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and numerous picks.

Depending on the play-in results, the pick could be No. 11 in the lottery if Golden State beats the Phoenix Suns to secure the No. 8 seed, or No. 12 if the Warriors fall short.

The 76ers’ pick had been top-four protected, but now goes to the Thunder as part of a 2020 trade that saw Philadelphia offload Al Horford’s contract to the Thunder in exchange for Danny Green.

The Thunder, who finished the regular season with an NBA-best 64-18 record and are the defending NBA champions, will open its playoff run on Sunday against the winner of the Suns-Warriors matchup.