Why the champs and four other teams control the future of the NBA draft

The 2025 NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, person acceptable the modular for however fringe playoff teams tin successfully stockpile aggregate aboriginal draught picks and physique connected young prospects.

The 2019 commercialized that brought reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a load of draught picks to Oklahoma City for Paul George produced twofold and six years aboriginal has go the blueprint for however teams tin maximize their instrumentality value.

And arsenic a result, 5 teams, including the Thunder, person a combined 55 first-round picks implicit the adjacent mates of years: the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and the Houston Rockets

Of those teams, which are champion positioned to predominate the league's yearly draught done the adjacent fewer years oregon usage those assets to execute beforehand bureau goals? Here is simply a ranking of the apical 5 teams that clasp the astir first-round picks arsenic of Sept. 18, 2025, and the biggest questions astir those teams' adjacent moves.

Jump to:
Thunder | Nets | Jazz | Rockets | Grizzlies
Biggest questions

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Incoming aboriginal first-round picks: 13
Future second-round picks: 16
Most invaluable pick: 2026 top-4 protected archetypal from the Philadelphia 76ers and 2027 swap rights with the LA Clippers

There's nary squad amended positioned for semipermanent occurrence than Oklahoma City.

Even aft committing $800 cardinal this summertime to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, which projects them to beryllium a 2nd apron squad adjacent summer, the Thunder person a treasure thorax of aboriginal draught assets to offset their rising payroll.

The apron restrictions are designed to bounds beforehand offices from improving their rosters via escaped bureau and trades. But dissimilar different high-spending teams, Oklahoma City has 13 first-round and 16 second-round picks successful the adjacent 7 years. Four of those firsts could beryllium successful the 2026 draught and they are the lone squad to person astatine slightest 3 first-round picks adjacent June.

Even if the...