The Los Angeles Clippers' disastrous start to the NBA season, coinciding with the Oklahoma City Thunder's brilliant start, has put many NBA fans on alert and ask what if Tyron Lue’s side gets the lottery pick in the 2026 NBA draft. The OKC Thunder, who are coming off a historic season after winning their first NBA championship, are on route for another stunning season this year, led by Shai Gilgeous Alexander.
Clippers’ collapse could hand Thunder 2026 No. Draft pick: Here’s how
The defending champions, who have control over the Clippers' draft pick next year thanks to the Paul George trade in 2020, will be praying for such a scenario. They might get the number one pick of the upcoming draft, a scenario which is scary for each of the 29 NBA teams, barring the Thunder.
Even if the Clippers finish as a Ninth or 10th seed, they will likely get a top-15 draft pick, which is another win-win scenario for the OKC franchise. Why? Because this will be the third year in a row that they will get a draft slot well above the assigned place.
ALSO READ: List of NBA teams to never win a championship; some big names might surprise you
The Paul George trade has hardly brought any success to the Clippers, but it certainly brought a lot to the Thunder franchise in the form of not only their star SGA, but also with the draft picks that continue to put them on the path of success, six years later.
The Clippers currently rank 11th in the Western Conference and are 4-10 as of this writing. They will face the Orlando Magic next in their upcoming fixture of the ongoing NBA season.