The Nuggets may be in the 2023 NBA Finals, but they are still looking to maximize their championship window with a surprisingly late trade with the Thunder.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Nuggets have agreed to a trade of NBA draft picks with Oklahoma City. It's rare for a deal to occur at this point in the season, especially when it includes a team actively competing for its first NBA title.
But Denver's move, Wojnarowski reports, is aimed at keeping the team remain in championship contention for years:
NBA Finals trade: The Denver Nuggets are acquiring the least favorable of Oklahoma City's first-round picks in 2024, the 37th pick in the 2023 draft and 2024 second-round pick for a protected 2029 first-round, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 9, 2023
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Conversely, the trade allows Oklahoma City to spread out its considerable trade assets, which include four first-round picks in 2024. The Thunder already have plenty of young talent on its team, so the trade keeps them from adding too many assets too quickly via the draft.
Because the teams' trade didn't involve any player, it didn't violate the rule that trades can only go into effect after both teams' season is over. Per NBA front office insider Bobby Marks:
Denver is allowed to make a trade while still playing because it does not involve a player on the roster.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 9, 2023
Draft picks are fair game in the offseason.
Here's everything you need to know about the Nuggets and Thunder's trade details:
Nuggets-Thunder trade details
Per Wojnarowski, the Nuggets will receive the Thunder's 37th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, as well as two picks in 2024: their least favorable first-rounder and a second-round pick. In return, the Nuggets will get a protected 20219 first-round pick (protection details have not yet been reported).
Nuggets receive:
- 2023 37th overall pick
- 2024 first-round pick (worst)
- 2024 second-round pick
Thunder receive:
- 2029 first-round pick (protected)
The move, as noted by Wojnarowski, gives Denver cheap talent and trade assets to build around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. That will allow the Nuggets to remain in NBA Finals contention for the next several seasons while paying its top players accordingly.
The Thunder, who already have young talented players on their team, have too many assets in the 2024 draft, including four first-rounders. Simply put, they don't have the space to accommodate those picks, so instead secured a first-rounder far enough down the line that they don't have to worry how to navigate immediate roster shifts.
The Thunder still owe Oklahoma City a 2027 top-five protected first-round pick.
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Nuggets draft picks 2023
Below is a rundown of the Nuggets' 2023 picks:
| Round | Pick | Details |
| Second | 37 | From Wizards (via New Orleans and Oklahoma City) |
| Second | 40 | From Mavericks (via Oklahoma City) |
Thunder draft picks 2023
Below is a rundown of the Thunder's 2023 picks:
| Round | Pick | Details |
| First | 12th | |
| Second | 50th | From Heat (via Boston, Memphis and Dallas) |
Nuggets future draft picks
Below is a rundown of the Nuggets' future draft picks, via RealGM:
First-rounders:
- 2024: Own
- 2025: 1-5 Own; 6-30 to ORL
- 2026: 1-5 Own; 6-30 to ORL if not already settled
- 2027: 1-5 Own; 6-30 to ORL if not already settled; or 1-5 Own; 6-30 to OKC if DEN has conveyed 1st round pick to ORL by 2025
- 2028: 1-5 Own; 6-30 to OKC if not already settled and if DEN has conveyed 1st round pick to ORL by 2026
- 2029: 1-5 Own; 6-30 to OKC if not already settled
Second-rounders
- 2024: To ORL
- 2025: Own
- 2026: Own
- 2027: To CLE
- 2028: 31-33 Own; 34-60 to SAN
- 2029: To OKC if DEN has not conveyed 1st round pick to OKC by 2029
Thunder future draft picks
Below is a rundown of the Thunder's future draft picks, via RealGM:
First-rounders:
- 2024: Own; HOU 5-30; LAC; UTH 11-30
- 2025: Own OR swap for HOU 11-30 or LAC; more favorable of (i) BRK and (ii) less favorable of OKC and HOU 11-30 to HOU then other to BRK if HOU 11-30 is more favorable than LAC (via OKC swap for HOU 11-30 or LAC; via HOU swap of HOU or OKC for BRK); UTH 11-30 if not already settled; MIA 15-30 (via LAC); PHL 7-30
- 2026: Own; UTH 9-30 if not already settled; MIA (via LAC) if not already settled; PHL 5-30 if not already settled; HOU 5-30; LAC
- 2027: Own; PHL 5-30 if not already settled; DEN 6-30 if DEN has conveyed 1st round pick to ORL by 2025
- 2028: Own; DEN 6-30 if not already settled and if DEN has conveyed 1st round pick to ORL by 2026
- 2029: Own; DEN 6-30 if not already settled
Second-rounders
- 2024: To HOU (via ATL); Less favorable of CHA and MIN (via CHA to NOP to OKC; via MIN to OKC); HOU if HOU does not convey 1st round pick to OKC in 2024
- 2025: To HOU (via ATL); HOU if HOU does not convey 1st round pick to OKC in 2024; ATL 41-60; More favorable of BOS and MEM (via MEM to BOS); PHL
- 2026: Most favorable of OKC, DAL and PHL; second most favorable to HOU and least favorable to MIA (via OKC); HOU if HOU does not convey 1st round pick to OKC in 2026
- 2027: Three most favorable of OKC, HOU, IND and MIA then other to SAN (via HOU to DET to OKC; via UTH to SAN); PHL if PHL has not conveyed 1st round pick to OKC by 2027
- 2028: Own; UTH
- 2029: Own; ATL; BOS; DEN if DEN has not conveyed 1st round pick to OKC by 2029; PHX
