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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball in front of Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Paycom Center on March 7, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
By eliminating the LA Clippers from NBA playoff contention on Wednesday night, the Golden State Warriors ensured the Oklahoma City Thunder will own an additional lottery pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.
That’s because the Thunder has the right to swap their 2026 pick with LAC as part of the infamous 2019 trade involving Paul George. OKC will now have the 11th-best odds of receiving the No. 1 pick (2%) if the Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns on Friday to claim the No. 8 seed and the 12th-best odds (1.5%) if Stephen Curry and Co. lose.
Either way, Thunder will get at least a No. 11 or No. 12 pick via the Clippers.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will now be in the lottery because of this Clippers loss. What have the Warriors just done.
It gets worse.
Since the Philadelphia 76ers also won their play-in game against the Orlando Magic on Friday, the Thunder will have an additional first-round pick in the upcoming Draft.
Thunder Could Have 3 1st Round Picks
The Thunder acquired the Sixers’ 2025 first-round pick when they traded Terrance Ferguson, Danny Green and Vincent Poirier for Al Horford in November 2020.
The 76ers’ pick was top-6 protected and did not convey last year. As a result, it turned into a top-4 protected pick for 2026 and 2027. The pick will be conveyed this year, since the Sixers will finish the season as the No. 7 seed entering the playoffs.
OKC also has a shot at securing the Utah Jazz’s top-8 protected first-round pick if the ping pong balls are not favorable to the Jazz in this year’s NBA Draft Lottery.
The Thunder, who finished the regular season with a 64-18 record, are the overwhelming betting favorites to repeat as NBA champions. It would prove to be a fatal blow to the league if Sam Presti and Co. manage to secure two more lottery picks to add to their loaded roster.
All in all, there’s a good chance that Thunder will pick thrice in the first round of this year’s draft, which has widely been hailed as one of the deepest classes in years.
The NBA Draft Lottery will take place on May 10.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided's Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan