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Thunder Trade Picks for No. 16 Stirtz, Face Roster Logjam

6/25/2026

Summary

Thunder Drafts Stirtz

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded two second-round picks to Memphis for the No. 16 pick, selecting Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Stirtz averaged 19.8 points, 4.4 assists and shot 47.7% for Iowa in 2025-26.
His rookie deal is about $3.6 million for the first season.
Adding Stirtz creates a log-jam with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jared McCain, Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe, possibly forcing the Thunder to move Joe’s $12.3 million salary.

Summary

Thunder Trim Salaries

The Oklahoma City Thunder must cut a contract to remove a $30 million excess and stay under the 15-player limit.
Isaiah Hartenstein’s $28.5 million 2026-27 team option forces the Thunder to weigh his cost against rookie Aday Mara.
Trading Aaron Wiggins and adding Bennett Stirtz creates a guard log-jam that could push Lu Dort or Isaiah Joe out, while Sam Presti kept both first-round picks to lock in four-year control of Mara and Stirtz for flexibility.

History

Historical Context

Since the 2004 collective bargaining agreement instituted a fixed rookie-scale, the NBA’s salary-cap system—soft since the 1984-85 reinstatement and set at $154.647 million for 2025-26—has limited how teams allocate rookie contracts. This framework forces franchises such as the Oklahoma City Thunder to juggle roster spots and luxury-tax thresholds when signing players and managing deals like Isaiah Joe’s multi-million contract.

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Thunder Drafts Stirtz

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded two second-round picks to Memphis for the No. 16 pick, selecting Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Stirtz averaged 19.8 points, 4.4 assists and shot 47.7% for Iowa in 2025-26.
His rookie deal is about $3.6 million for the first season.
Adding Stirtz creates a log-jam with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jared McCain, Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe, possibly forcing the Thunder to move Joe’s $12.3 million salary.

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