OKLAHOMA CITY –

The ripple effects of the Los Angeles Clippers trading Ivica Zubac are already being felt across the NBA and no team stands to benefit more than the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With less than an hour remaining before the trade deadline, the Clippers have now moved on from two of their most impactful players, Zubac and James Harden, despite recently climbing the Western Conference standings. The Clippers are now officially moving in a different direction at 23-27 overall.

Why this matters to Oklahoma City

The Thunder own the Clippers’ unprotected 2026 first-round pick, an asset that becomes more valuable by the day as Los Angeles reshapes its roster. That pick originated from the blockbuster 2019 deal that sent Paul George to the Clippers, a move made to convince Leonard to sign in free agency.

What Oklahoma City received in that trade now looks historic:

Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderDanilo GallinariFive first-round picksTwo first-round pick swapsIncluding the Clippers’ unprotected 2026 first-round pick

That 2026 selection has been one of the most closely monitored assets in the league all season.

The Clippers’ slide could supercharge OKC

At the moment, the Clippers sit around the 12th-best lottery odds, but that position is far from stable. Moving Harden and Zubac signals a clear philosophical shift, one that could send Los Angeles tumbling down the standings in what scouts expect to be a loaded 2026 NBA Draft. Others teams currently surrounding the Clippers have also recently made moves that would indicate a white flag being waved on the rest of the season. Memphis, Dallas, and Utah are all now planning for the future with recent deals at the deadline.

If that slide accelerates, Oklahoma City could find itself in position to select from the very top of the draft board with names like Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and A.J. Dybantsa looming as potential franchise-altering talents.

Oklahoma City’s growing draft war chest

The Clippers’ pick is only part of Oklahoma City’s leverage moving forward. The Thunder also controls:

A top-eight protected 2026 first-round pick from the Utah JazzA top-four protected 2026 first-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers

The Clippers famously mortgaged their future for Leonard and George. Years later, that bill continues to come due and the recent trades only accelerate the process.

But one thing is already clear: every loss, every move, and every step backward by the Clippers brings Oklahoma City closer to yet another massive win.