NBA Power Rankings Week 14: NBA trade deadline recap

NBA Power Rankings Week 14: Trade deadline recap

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 23: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Denver Nuggets at Amway Center on March 23, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /

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NBA trade deadline (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

19-26. Previous: 22nd. Oklahoma City Thunder. 23. team. 149.

Last Week: Beat Houston Rockets 114-112, Beat Minnesota Timberwolves 112-103, Lost to Memphis Grizzlies 116-107, Lost to Boston Celtics 111-94

This Week: 3/29 vs. Dallas Mavericks, 3/31 vs. Toronto Raptors, 4/2 at Phoenix Suns, 4/3 at Portland Trail Blazers

The jokes are everywhere but there is a good reason. Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder love second-round picks. They now own 34 picks in the next seven drafts Some teams are planning for the draft class of Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs. Presti is scouting kids in seventh grade.

The trade in question sent George Hill to the Sixers and the Thunder brought back Tony Bradley, Austin Rivers and two second-round picks. There was more involved with this move but for the Thunder this is the scope of things. Given how much the Thunder like their young back-court prospects Hill was always waiting to be moved and bringing back an interesting young center prospect in Bradley, who has looked good of late, and picks is a win. Rivers is likely to be bought out before long, but that is okay too.

Notably, to make the trade happen the Thunder waived Meyers Leonard in what could end up being a career-ending move. Leonard has been injured and mostly not good this season leading to the awful moment of him casually throwing out a religious slur on Twitch was the final strike. Now the Thunder will shift to focus on blowing up a different young guy every night and making NBA Twitter fall in love with Aleksej Pokusevski.