To say the least, the LA Clippers do not have the best history with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sam Presti utterly fleeced the Clippers in 2019, and since then, the two franchises have never been trade partners; it would just bring flashbacks and lead to second-guessing whether Presti knows the unknown.
However, the Clippers should be the first to initiate a change and target Isaiah Joe from Mark Daigneault’s second unit. Oklahoma City may be looking to acquire a ball-handler who can withstand the best offense in the world, while Tyronn Lue needs a sixth man with a shooting clip as prosperous as the 2025 NBA Champions.
Thus, would a trade with the Thunder take some time to process? Possibly, but at the end of the day, they are just one of 30 teams with players on the block that could help the Clippers this season.
The LA Clippers should send one of their expiring contracts to the Oklahoma City Thunder
Sam Presti might listen to offers for another all-star or superstar to pair with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but his goal is to keep a championship group stuck together like glue. He wants a dynasty, and knowing the current Thunder have the potential to reach that level, financial operations must be at their finest.
Furthermore, Isaiah Hartenstein is among the players who will require flexibility to retain in the near future. He has a team option coming up, and making a deal for an expiring contract to create breathing room would help.
However, the expiring acquisition cannot just be a regular player if they are being added to the Thunder. The newcomer must have a sweet handle, be able to shoot the lights out, and showcase efficiency on both sides of the ball.
Bogdan Bogdanovic meets the criterion, and though he has been injured with the LA Clippers, he would find extra motivation if he is on the first seed in the Western Conference, on pace to win back-to-back titles.
A one-for-one swap works out for both teams, and specifically for LA, Joe would be the ideal bench player for Tyronn Lue. He is only 26 and averaging 9.7 points, shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc, which would hold a ton of value on a second unit that is understaffed and inexperienced.
That said, the Thunder may be the last team the Clippers would willingly want to call for a trade, but asking for Joe and sending over Bogdanovic is a conversation Presti may let play out.