Iconic Clippers-Thunder trade goes viral before 2026 NBA Draft Lottery

TL;DR

The Oklahoma City Thunder has acquired another top draft pick from the Los Angeles Clippers, intensifying the stakes for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. The Clippers' recent playoff exit has added to the scrutiny of their trade history with the Thunder.

Key points

Thunder acquired another top pick from the Clippers
Clippers lost in the Play-In Game to the Warriors
Clippers' pick has 9.4% chance for top 4 in 2026 Draft Lottery

Los Angeles ClippersOklahoma City ThunderNBAPaul George

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery just got more intriguing after the Oklahoma City Thunder claimed another top pick from the Los Angeles Clippers.

It’s been nearly seven years since Paul George’s famous trade to the Clippers. However, Los Angeles continues to receive trolling from NBA fans as the iconic deal with Oklahoma City somehow gets worse each season.

MORE: 5 teams to watch for in the NBA Playoffs

The Clippers crashed out of the NBA postseason after losing their Play-In Game Wednesday against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Meanwhile, their situation only gets worse because Los Angeles is now forced to hand its draft pick over.

NBA Draft Lottery night just got a lot more interesting now that the Clippers lost in the play-in.

The Thunder own the Clippers pick, which will have the 11th (9.4% top 4) or 12th (7.1%) odds. Last year, that’s the slot the Mavs had to move up for Cooper Flagg.

Can you imagine? pic.twitter.com/0TV9uNHASC

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) April 16, 2026

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery now features the Thunder once again despite the fact that Oklahoma City owns the best record in basketball. Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. also happen to be the reigning NBA champions from last season.

The outrage for Clippers fans is certainly justifiable considering how poorly the organization’s results have been over the years. However, many frustrations can all be drawn from the 2019 trade that paved the way for Oklahoma City’s budding success.

When is the Draft Lottery?

12 NBA teams are slated to learn their NBA Draft fate on May 10. The Draft Lottery is set to take place in Chicago during the middle of the NBA postseason.

This summer, the Thunder are now in consideration for another elite NBA Draft prospect. General manager Sam Presti has built an elite squad and hit on many of his top draft selections.

Q&A

What did the Clippers trade to the Thunder for Paul George?

The Clippers traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and multiple draft picks to the Thunder for Paul George.

What are the draft odds for the Clippers' pick in 2026?

The Clippers' pick has a 9.4% chance of landing in the top 4 and a 7.1% chance of being 12th overall.

How did the Clippers perform in the recent NBA postseason?

The Clippers were eliminated from the NBA postseason after losing their Play-In Game against the Golden State Warriors.