Just a few weeks ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder were sitting in a dream scenario - not only were they looking like a 70-win juggernaut in their own right, but thanks to holding the Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick, they also had a shot at landing the No. 1 overall selection in the upcoming NBA Draft. It was the kind of two-way win that front offices fantasize about: dominance now, and a potential franchise cornerstone waiting in the wings.
But fast forward to mid-January, and that dream is starting to slip through their fingers.
Let’s start with the Thunder themselves. They’re still a top-tier team in the West, no doubt.
But six more losses would officially take the 70-win season off the table. That’s not a knock - 70 wins is a historic benchmark, and even flirting with it speaks volumes.
Still, the margin for error is gone.
The bigger twist, though, is what’s happening out in Los Angeles.
After stumbling out of the gate with a brutal 6-21 start, the Clippers have flipped the script in dramatic fashion. Over their last 13 games, they’ve gone 11-2 - the best record in the league during that span. That kind of turnaround doesn’t just change the mood in the locker room - it shifts the entire draft outlook for the Thunder.
When OKC originally acquired that Clippers pick, it looked like a golden ticket. Now?
Not so much. LA’s hot streak has catapulted them out of the Western Conference basement and into Play-In Tournament territory.
If the season ended today, the Thunder would be looking at a pick somewhere between No. 9 and No. 12 - still a lottery selection, but a far cry from the top-five range they were once eyeing.
And here’s where it gets even murkier: there’s still a lot of basketball left. Three months, to be exact.
And the Clippers aren’t just playing better - they’re reportedly looking to get even stronger. With the February 5 trade deadline approaching, LA is rumored to be exploring ways to add more firepower for a playoff push.
If they pull off a meaningful deal, that pick could slide even further down the board.
So what was once a near-lock for a premium draft asset is now drifting into long-shot territory. And while the Thunder’s own success this season is a massive win, it does come with the bittersweet reality that their draft-day leverage may be slipping.
That said, all is not lost. Oklahoma City still holds another potential lottery ticket: the Utah Jazz’s 2026 first-rounder.
Right now, the Jazz sit at 14-26, which puts them in line for a pick around No. 6 or No. 7.
The catch? That pick is top-eight protected.
So if Utah stays in that range, the pick won’t convey this year - it would roll over to a future season.
In other words, OKC’s draft fate is now tied to a few key variables: whether the Clippers cool off, whether the Jazz climb just enough to drop out of the top eight, and whether any trade deadline fireworks shake up the Western Conference standings.
There’s even some intrigue around James Harden, whose name has surfaced in trade rumors yet again. If LA decides to move on from the star guard midseason, it could signal a reset - and potentially push that pick back up the draft board. But that’s a big “if,” and right now, the Clippers look more like buyers than sellers.
So while the Thunder remain one of the league’s most exciting young teams - and a legitimate threat in the West - their path to adding another high-end rookie talent this summer is looking a lot less certain than it did just a month ago. For now, all they can do is keep winning games and hope the rest of the West throws a few curveballs their way.