The Oklahoma City Thunder announced they had acquired a 2028 first-round pick swap from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the second-least favorable of their four 2024 first-round picks.
The four 2024 first-round selections are their own pick, the LA Clippers’ pick, the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick.
The Mavericks sent the pick and Richaun Holmes to the Washington Wizards in exchange for forward Daniel Gafford.
The Thunder has acquired a 2028 pick swap from the Mavericks in exchange for a 2024 first-round draft pick: pic.twitter.com/g59KF9gjQW
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) February 8, 2024
This move was previously reported as a possibility for OKC. It kicks the first-round draft pick down the road. Considering how rich the Thunder are with young talent, they likely will not add several rookies to their roster this offseason, which means they have 2024 draft picks to shed.
The 2028 first-round swap could be very valuable. Who knows how the Mavericks look by then. Luka Doncic is under contract until 2027 with a $49 million player option in 2026-27. If he leaves, the pick could be a massively valuable trade asset.
OKC enriched the quality of its draft pick capital without sacrificing quantity. This is smart asset management that can pay dividends down the road.
