Breaking Down The Thunder's Busy Night At The 2020 Draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder is waking up with some new players Thursday morning after the 2020 NBA draft.

Thursday, November 19th 2020, 8:32 am

By: Nate Kotisso


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UPDATE (4:12 p.m., Nov. 19, 2020): Shams Charania of the Athletic reported Thursday afternoon that Oklahoma City would also receive forward James Johnson as a part of its deal with Minnesota on draft night. Johnson, an 11-year veteran who reportedly opted in to his $16 million salary prior to the trade, averaged 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and shot 36.1 percent from three-point range during the 2019-20 season.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder were not done wheeling and dealing before Wednesday night's NBA Draft.

Hours after trading away three-time NBA champion Danny Green and reserve forward/guard Terrance Ferguson to Philadelphia for a deal centered around forward Al Horford, Oklahoma City made two more deals on draft night.

Related: Report: Thunder Acquire Al Horford, Picks From Philadelphia 76ers

OKC entered Wednesday's draft with the 25th, 28th and 34th overall picks, but it didn't keep them all by evening's end.

Get ready for word salad. It's NBA trade season.

First off, point guard Ricky Rubio -- who the Thunder acquired from the Phoenix Suns along with Kelly Oubre Jr., Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick in exchange for guard Chris Paul and reserve guard Abdel Nader on Monday -- was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In Wednesday's deal, the T-Wolves acquired Rubio along with the rights to the 25th and 28th overall picks in the 2020 draft. OKC received the rights to the 17th pick in this year's draft (Serbian 7-footer Aleksej Pokusevski) from Minnesota. Pokusevksi, who is 18 on draft night, was the youngest person drafted on Wednesday.

Secondly, the Thunder drafted two-time consensus All-American point guard Cassius Winston from Michigan State before trading him and a 2024 second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for the rights to the 37th overall pick (20-year-old 6-foot-8 Czech guard Vit Krejci) on Wednesday night. OKC also acquired forward Admiral Schofield in the deal with Washington.

Oklahoma City dipped into the European talent pool once more when it selected French guard Theo Maledon with the 34th overall pick.

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