Thunder rumors: Could OKC trade up in draft for Cam Boozer? NBA executives already dreading this scenario

The Oklahoma City Thunder could be a thorn in the side of the rest of the NBA for a long, long time.

As his team battles in the Western Conference Finals, Thunder general manager Sam Presti is undoubtedly working hard to best position OKC once the offseason comes. And that could involve some big trades involving the Thunder’s stockpile of draft picks, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.

“As of right now, the likeliest scenario involves the Thunder trading one of these picks for future draft compensation, something Sam Presti has done countless times through the years,” Siegel wrote. “However, two executives who spoke with ClutchPoints envision Presti attempting to use both picks, along with other assets, to try and trade up into the lottery, possibly as high as the top four, and pursue Cam Boozer.”

That could be a particularly painful outcome for opposing NBA teams, as Boozer is the reigning college basketball national player of the year, and he could fit in nicely with the Thunder’s current core of back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams.

While leading Duke to a 35-3 record, the No. 1 overall seed, and an Elite Eight appearance, Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. In addition to being named the national player of the year, he earned consensus first-team All-American honors and was named the best power forward and big man in college basketball.

In Siegel’s latest NBA mock draft, he has Boozer going No. 3 overall to the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Thunder, if they choose to stay at 12th, taking Michigan power forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who was also a consensus first-team All-American.

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