The Oklahoma City Thunder did what the Oklahoma City Thunder do. They added more draft capital Tuesday night, this time pulling off a dizzying three-team trade with the Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons that reshuffled the first round before most fans had finished their first beer.
It started with the Grizzlies taking Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz at No. 16. That pick lasted about as long as it takes to put on a team hat. Memphis immediately flipped Stirtz to OKC for the 17th pick and two second-round selections. The Thunder now add Stirtz to a roster already loaded with young talent, pairing him with Michigan big man Aday Mara who went 12th overall.
Memphis then used that 17th pick on Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie. But they weren’t done dealing. Detroit came calling, and the Grizzlies shipped Okorie to the Pistons for the 21st pick and three more second-rounders.
So Detroit lands some backcourt help for Cade Cunningham after the Pistons ran all the way to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Okorie gives them another ball-handler and perimeter shooter — a solid get for a team that needs depth behind its star.
None of this was totally out of nowhere. According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, there were whispers Memphis might try to move up from 16, with the Warriors sitting at No. 11 as a potential trade partner. Golden State reportedly wasn’t shutting down conversations about sliding back. The Grizzlies also made it known that pretty much every player not part of their young core was available in trade talks, including 25-year-old big man Santi Aldama.
Why the Thunder Keep Doing This
OKC general manager Sam Presti has turned stockpiling picks into an art form. The Thunder now own a staggering number of future draft selections — enough to make a trade for a star whenever they want, or just keep drafting and developing. Stirtz fits their mold: a guard with size and feel who can play off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
For Memphis, the night was about volume. They turned the 16th pick into the 21st pick and five second-rounders total. That’s a lot of shots at finding rotation players on cheap contracts, especially for a team trying to manage its salary cap while staying competitive in the West.
The Pistons, meanwhile, made a straightforward play. They used their stash of second-round picks to move up and grab a guy they clearly wanted. Okorie’s a combo guard who can score at all three levels and defend. He’s not a household name, but Detroit’s front office liked him enough to burn three picks to get him.
The whole sequence took maybe 20 minutes of real time. Stirtz got drafted, traded, drafted again in spirit, and ended up in Oklahoma City. Okorie went from Stanford to Memphis to Detroit before the first commercial break. That’s just how the draft works now. Teams don’t sit still.
What’s next for the Grizzlies? They still have Aldama on the trade block and could make another move before free agency opens. The Thunder will probably keep hoarding picks until they decide to cash them in for a veteran star. And the Pistons? They got their guy. That’s a win for a Tuesday night in June.
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