Oklahoma City is in a great position with one of the NBA's deepest rosters and assets to continue making improvements.
Even after winning more than 60 games each of the past two seasons, the Thunder picked No. 15 in the 2025 draft as well as No. 12 and No. 16 in the 2026 draft. While the team's 2025 first-round pick, Thomas Sorber, hasn't seen the court yet due to injuries, both of OKC's 2026 first-round picks have shined in the preseason.
Sam Presti and company will have an opportunity to add a few more young players in the 2027 NBA Draft, where Oklahoma City could hold three first-round picks following past trades.
One of those selections comes from the LA Clippers, who could take a significant step back in 2026-27 after trading Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors. In a recent mock draft from The Athletic's Sam Vecenie and Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports, the Thunder landed the No. 5 overall pick in 2027.
At No. 5, Vecenie paired incoming BYU star Bruce Branch III with Oklahoma City.
Entering his freshman season with the Cougars, Branch is one of the most coveted prospects in the nation.
Coming out of high school, Branch was rated the No. 6 overall player and No. 2 small forward in the 2026 recruiting class by 247Sports. Listed at 6-foot-8, Branch brings ideal size and athleticism on the wing, an area that the Thunder appear to have less depth than other spots on the roster.
When Jalen Williams was sidelined with an injury during the 2025-26 season, OKC didn't have many other options on the wing who could bring the same skill set. Branch would, in theory, help the Thunder solve that problem and give the team another talented perimeter defender.
Additionally, Branch's potential to be a reliable 3-point shooter would be a major boost for the Thunder, who still need to find more consistency from beyond the arc. The young wing prospect struggles as a ball handler, though, and may not contribute much off the dribble early in his career.
If Branch's handle looks improved as a freshman, then it is reasonable to assume the Thunder would have significant interest in the former five-star recruit. Presti and company seem to like players with well-rounded skill sets, however, and if Branch still struggles to handle the ball, he may not be the right fit for Oklahoma City.
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