ESPN: NBA panicking over OKC owning Clippers' 2026 first-round pick

The 'Sam Presti is scouting middle school students' jokes from half a decade ago aren't looking as humorous as they do now. As the Oklahoma City Thunder look like the best reigning NBA champion in forever, they're everybody's pick to go back-to-back.

The Thunder have a historic 20-1 record with an eye-popping plus-15.5 point differential. More often than not, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has sat out the fourth quarter with 30-plus points scored in the first three frames.

That's scary enough in itself. The Thunder have been the NBA's best team. They're on track to 70 wins. Gilgeous-Alexander is on track to win his second straight MVP award. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren round out the NBA's top trio with the richest depth in the league.

Oh, and by the way, more blue-chip prospects could be on the way.

When the Thunder started their rebuild at the start of the decade, Presti went out of his way to collect as many draft picks as possible. Most of their treasure trove was filled with the Clippers' draft picks. As most know, they mortgaged their future for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Everybody knows how that's turned out. It's the NBA's Herschel Walker trade. The Thunder added Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams directly from that trade package. And the blockbuster deal continues to give to OKC six years later.

The Thunder own the LA Clippers' 2026 first-round pick swap rights. They also have the Utah Jazz's top-eight protected first-round pick. Oh, and the Philadelphia 76ers' top-four protected first-round pick. If you look at Tankathon right now, OKC has three lottery picks.

Just ridiculous stuff. Presti is living out the dream of every NBA 2K fanatic who turns down the difficulty mode to rookie in their GM mode. And on the latest 'Hoop Collective' podcast, ESPN's Tim MacMahon has said that has turned OKC into the NBA's boogeyman.

"The league is in a panic about the Thunder having the Clippers," MacMahon said. "I'm serious... I am not kidding when I tell you — the league is looking at this going, 'What is happening? I can't believe the Thunder are to get a lottery pick.'"

The Clippers' draft situation has gained national attention in recent weeks. As LA plummets down the standings, most fear that the Thunder will get some lottery luck and land a premium pick. The 2026 class is headlined by AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.

If the Thunder add one of those players, good luck to the rest of the NBA. They can accomplish what the Golden State Warriors failed to do with the two-timeline approach — except they have a much stronger track record with lottery picks and it'll be more of a luxury than a necessity.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: ESPN: NBA panicking over OKC owning Clippers' 2026 first-round pick