The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently steamrolling their way through the NBA's regular season, becoming the first team to ever start a season 21-1. Even so, they could very well end up with a high lottery pick thanks to the L.A. Clippers.
The Clippers are off to a dismal start but owe the Thunder their 2026 first-round pick thanks to the Paul George trade, which already ranks as one of the worst deals in NBA history. Speaking of the NBA, the league is currently investigating them and star Kawhi Leonard for alleged salary cap circumvention.
Nevertheless, the Clippers losing a lottery pick in addition to reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is almost punishment enough. After all, the Clippers unintentionally created a juggernaut in the Thunder while they themselves were trying to create one of their own.
That failed miserably, and now they face losing their pick, and possibly even more if the NBA finds wrongdoing.
The Thunder are mercilessly punishing the Clippers
Considering that the Thunder owns the Clippers' pick this year and has a pick swap next year, L.A. won't be able to go the traditional rebuild route. Especially if the NBA swoops in and takes all the Clippers' remaining first-round picks, leaving them with no first-rounders between now and 2031.
On the flip side, considering just how much of a poverty franchise the Clippers have been and how bad off they are now, it's possible that commissioner Adam Silver may show them mercy. Mind you, the Thunder have shown the Clippers no mercy by taking advantage of their stupidity, but the NBA may handle L.A. with kid gloves rather than piling on.
Things don't look so good for the Clippers right now, and if the NBA were to bury them if wrongdoing is found, then it could take them years to recover. It's hard to imagine the league doing that with the Thunder having already punished the Clippers severely.
All told, the Thunder are still reaping the benefits of the George trade six years later. That is a major concern for the rest of the NBA. After all, the Thunder are projected to have the best record in NBA history as well as a top-six pick in next year's draft at the Clippers' expense.
In fact, it could possibly lead to the league taking it easy on L.A. when it comes time for them to be punished for the Leonard allegations since the Thunder have punished them enough.