[R1zzo23]

The goal in Oklahoma City over the last few seasons has been to collect as many draft assets as possible. The goal is to land a transcendent talent at the top of draft. The lottery hasn’t been kind to the Thunder, but with so many lottery tickets odds are that they have to hit it big one of these years, right?

In the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft, there are three prospects being touted as Tier 1 players: Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Jabari Smith. All three of them would fill a huge need on this roster and give another young building block to add next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.

And if the Thunder miss out on one of the top-3 players in this year’s draft, the 2023 NBA Draft features one of the best prospects to enter the NBA in some time in Victor Wembanyama. The 7’3” Frenchman has all the tools to be a force on both ends of the floor and is the prospect that would give this franchise the best chance to make a move into perennial playoff contender.

Or, does this franchise reverse course and cash in on the treasure trove of draft picks they currently have in order to acquire an established talent in the league to jump start their ascent in the league? With 19 first round picks over the next five drafts, there is just no way that the team can make all those selections and keep them on the roster. There will be a numbers crunch and almost inevitably a consolidation of picks for a higher pick or a player.

OKC Thunder Draft Picks
YEAR	1ST ROUND PICKS	2ND ROUND PICKS
2022	OKC, LAC, PHX	OKC
2023	DEN, DET, LAC, OKC, WAS	DAL/MIA, WAS
2024	HOU, LAC, OKC, UTA	CHA, MIN, OKC
2025	HOU/LAC, MIA, OKC, PHI	ATL, BOS/MEM, PHI
2026	HOU, LAC, OKC	DAL/PHI, OKC