2026 NBA draft thread

[michaeltex]

So....

OKC is going into this draft with (pre-lottery) with #12 (could be higher), #18, and #37. Rich get richer. But they may be facing some tough decisions in the offseason.

All 15 currently on the roster are either signed for next year (SGA, Holmgren and Caruson add up to >$100M!) or are on TOs. So something has to give. Hartenstein, Dort, K Williams, Wallace and Topic are key TO guys.

BTW, in the next season (26-27) SGA+Caruso+Holmgren+J Williams add up to >$190M just between themselves. So they, OKC, are about to get into serious salary management and apron issues. I'm guessing they will count on the FRP pipeline to sustain them into the future, but that means shedding some of your proven contributors as you move forward and counting on green talent.

If you claim a TO in it's last year, does that affect FA status at the end of that year? If you don't sign them to an extension before the TO expires are they then UFA?
Does enacting a TO then trading count as a SnT, with possible hard cap implications?
Does trading away a key guy like Hartenstein or Dort send the wrong message to the rest of the team?

I don't see Presti just letting anyone walk without getting something in return, probably to keep the draft pipeline full, but there will have to be salaries involved as well.

I guess I could see where Presti might want to move somewhere (like DAL) where he could stay in team building mode rather than have to deal with salary administration decisions. But I don't really expect him to call in the moving trucks any time soon.