OKC Thunder: What’s the plan in the post-Chris Paul era?

The Chris Paul era for the OKC Thunder screeched to a halt as trade season for the next NBA season got underway. What is Sam Presti’s plan?

The OKC Thunder made the first splash of the new NBA season’s trade frenzy by trading away their best player once again.

Star point guard Chris Paul is on his way to the Phoenix Suns after only one season in Oklahoma City.

Paul led the way on and off the court — helping to get the Thunder to the playoffs in what many thought was a rebuilding season, then helping to put the work in that organized the NBA bubble to host those playoffs.

The Thunder moved Paul on Monday in what feels like the pillar behind the complete rebuild that fans expected before last year’s surprise run.

In exchange for Paul, general manager Sam Presti is getting back another first-round draft pick and a handful of role players to work with in the immediate future. Thunder guard Abdel Nader will join Paul in Phoenix in exchange for Kelly Oubre, Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and that first-round pick in 2022.

Once again, the Thunder trade a superstar who is clearly not a part of their long-term plans for a valuable return package — a small market team’s dream come true.

Presti has never made a move of this magnitude without a tangible plan in place. When he moved Carmelo Anthony, he bolstered his bench unit with Dennis Schroeder who is now headed for the Lakers in exchange for picks. When he moved Paul George, he got young prodigy Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and picks back in return.

When he traded Russell Westbrook, he brought back even more picks, and Chris Paul, who’s now on the move again in exchange for another promising package. Presti is doing what often seems impossible in the NBA; looking to set this team up for its next run while staying relevant.

Let’s look at what’s next for the OKC Thunder franchise in the aftermath of this trade.