The Thunder didn’t just land Nique Clifford on Sunday. They also got a little help from Aaron Wiggins in making the deal work.
Oklahoma City acquired the sophomore wing from the Sacramento Kings for a pair of second-round picks, and the financial piece of the transaction mattered just as much as the player coming in. Because of the $9.02 million Traded Player Exception created in the offseason deal that sent Wiggins to the Hawks, the Thunder were able to absorb Clifford’s $3.26 million salary without pushing themselves into the second-apron hard cap.
That detail gave Sam Presti and company some real flexibility. Oklahoma City still may need to open a roster spot for the 24-year-old, but it did not have to send out one of its own players just to make the salary math work. With injuries piling up for guys like Jalen Williams (ankle) and Cason Wallace (shoulder), the Thunder were able to add help on the wing without taking on serious financial pain.
Wiggins’ departure from the roster this summer ended up creating more room than it first appeared. In a roundabout way, it helped the Thunder cover for a need that has become more obvious early in the season.
And Clifford may not be the only move Oklahoma City has in mind.
The Thunder already have a couple more trade exceptions at their disposal if they decide to keep shopping. The Wiggins exception was the smallest of the three created by their offseason deals. Moving Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons produced an $11.3 million TPE, while the Hawks also handed Oklahoma City a $17.7 million exception in the Lu Dort trade.
They also still have a massive stash of draft capital if they want to keep adding. Given the injuries and the team’s willingness to act early, Oklahoma City is likely to keep showing up in trade conversations all the way to the February 11 deadline.
In Other News...
Nikola Topic Is Giving Thunder Fans A Reason To Watch The Blue
The Oklahoma City Blue opened their 2026-27 G League season with a pair of losses, but the early games still gave Thunder fans something to track closely. Nikola Topic was in the lineup for the second game after working back from a back injury, and his presence alone made the Blue more relevant than a typical early-season G League watch.
Topics first outing offered a reminder of why Oklahoma City has been so patient with his recovery, even as the Blue continue to sort through their rotation and lean on contributions from players like Jaehshon Thomas, Pritchard, Smith and Tilly. With the Thunder always keeping an eye on who might be next in line, Topics next steps feel like the part of this season that matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Isaiah Hartenstein Is Becoming Vital To OKC In An Unexpected Way
The Thunders lopsided win over Washington was another reminder that Oklahoma City can lean on Isaiah Hartenstein in ways that go well beyond scoring. With Chet Holmgren out, Hartenstein has settled into a bigger role, and his value has shown up in the dirty work that tends to swing games for a team built on pace, length and pressure. He was active on the glass, moved the ball cleanly and helped anchor the defense in a game the Thunder controlled from start to finish.
Hartensteins recent stretch has made him a more important piece than many expected when he arrived, especially because his impact is showing up in so many different areas. He has been giving Oklahoma City reliable rebounding and extra playmaking from the center spot, which helps keep the offense flowing even when the shot volume is spread around. For a team with bigger ambitions, that kind of steady production is exactly the sort of thing that can matter later, even if it does not always jump off the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Thunders Injury Response Is Creating An Unfamiliar Roster Problem
In the wake of injuries to key players, the Thunder have been forced into a flurry of roster moves that looks nothing like their usual patient approach to building out the back end of the roster. Oklahoma City has waived second-round pick Otega Oweh, rescinded a contract offer to Ochai Agbaji, signed and then waived Dalen Terry, and brought in Nique Clifford in a trade, all in an effort to keep the roster functional while the injury situation sorts itself out.
What makes this stretch unusual is that the Thunder have had to work around league rules while doing it, since they could not just clear space by moving a two-way player. For a team that typically prizes flexibility and long-term planning, the sequence has created an unfamiliar kind of roster squeeze, one that has forced the front office to make quick decisions and accept short-term disruption in the process. [Read more 🡒]