Just when you think that the Oklahoma City Thunder won’t be making that many trades in the offseason, the team suddenly made a flurry of trades after what seems to be a success for OKC in the NBA Draft. Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins are out of the picture for OKC, but this may be a good thing for the Thunder’s young reserves heading into the 2026-27 season.
By now, it is obvious that the recent Thunder trade moves are a deliberate effort to keep the team out of the second apron. They’re headed for the luxury tax now more than ever. Both Jalen Williams‘ and Chet Holmgren‘s extensions are about to kick in, and this means they’ve got to prioritize their main stars, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being the top concern. That, however, means that their role players may take a hit. Unfortunately, fan favorites Wiggins and Joe were the first to get evicted from the championship roster.
Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins Trades Push OKC Roster Shift
That doesn’t mean that they don’t have options. Thunder GM Sam Presti is notable for making historic trades over the years. With the way he’s set this team up, Oklahoma City has the luxury to replace expensive players with cheaper ones who can make an impact as their predecessors. As Joe and Wiggins both move on from the 2025 champions, it’s easy to expect that there will be new names who are expected to rise in the coming season.
Stirtz And Oweh Are The Main Benefactors Of The OKC Trades
But as the law of supply and demand dictates, teams want the services of both Wiggins (Atlanta) and Joe (Detroit). In return, the Thunder trade nets themselves four future second-round picks. While most people will say that they’re losing chemistry, Presti seems to be two steps ahead, having selected notable college shooters before shipping off two of the team’s guards.
Waking up thinking about the Stirtz/Mara PnR’s, Oweh getting downhill and finishing through contact, Sandfort and Dix knocking down catch and shoot 3’s, Carlson looking like a baby Chet, Barnhizer diving on the floor
With Top, and Sorber could play but Summer league should be a…
— ThunderChats (@ThunderChats) June 25, 2026
Though they gave up two second-rounders to acquire him, Bennett Stirtz was a calculated selection for Presti. The Iowa product made 92 threes in the previous season alone, and his superb understanding of the game is expected to be quite beneficial to the team, given their need for key playmakers. He looks like a young version of Michael Porter Jr., which makes him a good scoring option whenever the Thunder need a punch for their offense.
Otega Oweh, on the other hand, brings that tough, bruiser-style play to OKC, which they didn’t have and had even considered one of their major weaknesses. The Kentucky product is one of the notable steals for Oklahoma City. He went undrafted, and somehow, no team went on to take him. If you’re not impressed, the whole league just allowed the Thunder — of all teams — to take Oweh, who has the most points ever by a Kentucky player in their first two seasons. Considered a reliable two-way player, Oweh also had the most 20-point SEC games by any Kentucky player over the last 30 years.
Nikola Topic Gets Playmaking Minutes
Aside from the two rookies for the Thunder, Nikola Topic also gets the best out of this Thunder trade as he’s expected to take over ball handling duties in the coming season. The Serbian guard is recovering from a spine surgery and is seeking to break into the regular rotation this season. With just 10 games played last season, Topic averaged 5.2 points per game and an impressive 4.4 assists in 16 minutes of action per night. That’s not bad for someone who endured an injury-plagued season.
But with Wiggins’ and Joe’s minutes now becoming a void to be filled, Topic has a real shot to crack a rotational spot with the Thunder this season. We’ve seen flashes of his strong playmaking ability, and this means that he may be the next traditional point guard that OKC will have on the floor. For what it’s worth, Topic has yet to prove that he deserves to be with the squad, and now is the time for him to finally step up and meet the standard.
It’s due to injuries, but Oklahoma City has gone back-to-back drafts without a first-round rookie playing meaningful minutes.
Both Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic still have tremendous upside, but I can’t help but think the Thunder’s strategy tomorrow night is taking someone who…
— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) June 23, 2026
Of course, he’s definitely a promising player in his own right. However, Topic has to contend with Ajay Mitchell for playmaking minutes, and there’s going to be a lot more chances for him this time than last year. Surprisingly, OKC parted ways with two players who didn’t actually have a fixed spot in their postseason rotation, so it is not much of a loss for them, but Topic, on the bright side, gains more minutes than he had in the first place.
Jared McCain Has A Bigger Shoe To Fill
One of the biggest standouts for the Thunder in the postseason was Jared McCain. He had to make adjustments to his game coming into OKC, especially on defense, but his shooting is going to be one of the things to watch for Oklahoma City this offseason. McCain was a 39.1% shooter from deep in 30 games played, and that says a lot about the need for his shooting to be more efficient to keep Oklahoma City’s offense fluid and healthy. However, there may be a few hiccups in his game as they try to transition into making him the team’s main three-point shooter.
Too bad about Isaiah Joe traded to Detroit. NBA's best 3-pt shooter over last 4 yrs. He will be missed in reg season – but not in playoffs, when rotation tightens and now Jared McCain will earn these minutes.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 26, 2026
In case you didn’t notice, McCain’s best games needed him to shoot at a high volume. Yes, that comes off as a positive at first, but that doesn’t play well with OKC’s efficient scoring culture. He has to find ways to select his shots carefully, at least change his shot diet into something more that can provide a scoring punch for the Thunder in the long run.
The New Norm For The Thunder Moving Forward
OKC won’t mind losing a few role players in exchange for fresher legs, who all have the potential upside to be a star at the very least. Of course, nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, but Presti has definitely “future-proofed” the Thunder in the years to come, which should be enough to give them a window for a championship. They’ve already snagged one with a roster that still has a few hiccups, and now it does seem more perfect.
However, time is the ultimate truth-teller, and Oklahoma City has a whole summer ahead to prepare for the next big thing: plotting a return to the biggest stage of them all.
Featured Image: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
