Report: Thunder Looking to Make Big Trade Following NBA Finals Win
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The Oklahoma City Thunder finished off a fantastic season on Sunday night with a Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals.
After being the best team in the regular season and facing a lot of adversity in the playoffs, the Thunder were crowned champions. They were more than deserving of that title after the complete year that they put together.
While they will spend the next year as the reigning champions, next season begins now. With the 2025 NBA Draft just over 24 hours away, Oklahoma City does not have time to sit back and enjoy its championship too much.
Head coach Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on December 29, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Head coach Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on December 29, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Already, the front office is getting busy to begin the offseason. In fact, the Thunder are looking to make a big-time move just after winning the Finals.
Read more: Pacers Linked to Future Hall of Fame Tyrese Haliburton Replacement
According to a report from ESPN's Jonathan Givony, Oklahoma City is looking to trade up in the draft to get into the top 10.
Right now, the Thunder hold the No. 15, No. 24, and No. 44 picks in the 2025 draft. They could package all three of those picks to get into the top 10 for a high upside player who could add more talent for the long-term future.
Sam Presti has done an amazing job of building out the roster. Oklahoma City has a young and dynamic roster that it will look to keep together for years to come, but the front office also still has a ton of draft capital to work with to orchestrate other moves.
Being able to package picks to move up in the draft to land a higher upside player is exactly what can keep a championship window open long-term.
Read more: NBA Receives Strong Warning Following Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles Injury
Obviously, the Thunder have their "Batman" and "Robin" already together. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA MVP award this season, while Jalen Williams has become a legitimate star. Those two guys are going to be the main core of the team for the foreseeable future.
However, being able to continue adding quality young pieces to the team in the coming years will help keep their depth elite and to keep adding pieces that fit the long-term vision of the team.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the 2025 NBA Draft. Oklahoma City is clearly looking to make a big-time move and the front office has the ammunition to get it done.
For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
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