What looked like the start of the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard era has aged into a gift that keeps on giving for Oklahoma City.
Leonard’s move to Los Angeles in 2019 didn’t just reshape the Clippers. It set off the chain reaction that pushed the Thunder into a full reset, with Paul George eventually headed to LA and Sam Presti starting over with draft capital and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Seven years later, that gamble looks very different on both sides. George left in the summer of 2024, Leonard was traded to the Raptors this offseason, and the Clippers’ core has come apart piece by piece.
Oklahoma City, meanwhile, is still thriving with the foundation that grew out of that blockbuster. Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise only underscores how well that reset worked out, and a recent Hoops Rumors list added another layer to the story by placing SGA as the 10-longest-tenured active player with his current team.
There’s also still more Clippers-related draft pain ahead for LA. The Thunder’s residual payments from the Paul George deal may have ended this past June when Oklahoma City used the Clippers’ 12 overall pick on Aday Mara, but the Thunder are still holding one more asset from the franchise.
That came through the 2023 trade that brought James Harden to Los Angeles from Philadelphia, where Oklahoma City was involved as a third team. The Thunder own the unprotected rights to a 2027 first-round pick swap with the Clippers.
Given that the Clippers just missed the playoffs last season with Leonard and then tore things down after his departure, the belief is that Oklahoma City could be positioned to benefit again in next summer’s draft.
The Thunder are already doing their homework on the next wave of talent. Recent reports said the team sent scouts to Bendigo, Australia, to watch wing Dash Daniels at the 2026 NBL Blitz.
And with it still only September, there will be plenty more names tied to Oklahoma City before long.
In Other News...
Thunder Are Building Something Important With Their Youngest Players
A recent team-organized bowling night gave the Thunder a low-key look at where the next wave of chemistry may be forming. Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace were among the players in the mix, alongside several younger additions who are trying to carve out roles as Oklahoma City continues stacking talent around its core.
The timing matters, too, because this is the part of the roster that can help keep the Thunder deep as the years roll forward. With the 2026-27 season still ahead, those sessions are about more than just a night out, they are a chance for the youngest players to get comfortable together and start building the kind of cohesion that can matter once the real competition for rotation spots begins. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Chemistry Push Is Already Taking Shape Before Training Camp
Before training camp even opens, the Thunder are already leaning into the kind of chemistry work that often gets talked about only after the fact. Several players got together in Texas for a team-bonding workout as part of the buildup to the upcoming NBA season, a sign that the group is treating its preparation as more than just lifting and on-court reps.
Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, Jared McCain, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz were among the players involved, underscoring how early the team is trying to build familiarity across the roster. The gathering mixed competitive work with time together away from the facility, and it fits the Thunders broader habit of emphasizing connection before the real grind of camp begins. [Read more 🡒]
Aday Mara Enters Thunder Camp With One Immediate Problem
Aday Mara arrives at Thunder camp with the rare advantage of being healthy and available, something that has not always been the case for recent Oklahoma City rookies. The 12th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft has already gotten some court time this summer through NBA Summer League and FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, so the early read on him is not about recovery or rehab but about where he fits in a deep, crowded rotation.
For a team that has leaned on depth as much as upside, that can be a tough first-year puzzle for any newcomer, even one with Maras pedigree. His summer work did not exactly create easy momentum, either, and the next question is whether that leaves him fighting for meaningful minutes sooner than expected or waiting for a bigger opening down the road. [Read more 🡒]