Report: Thunder trade 16th pick to Rockets for two future 1st-round picks

© AP Alperen Sengun is my favorite player on this list. I’m psyched for him to come to the NBA. I think he’s going to be really good. The Turkish League MVP moves well, passes well, dribbles well and can take the ball up the court in transition. He dunks and gets to the free-throw line. He barrelled his way to 19.2 points on 64.6% shooting in 28.3 minutes per game. He did that as an 18-year-old. And his footwork in the post! So good. So polished. Additionally, with Sengun’s 81% free throw shooting, I think he’ll be able to become a player who a defense has to be aware of beyond the arc. His offensive potential looks high. His defense … that’s another story. When he has to venture beyond the paint, it’s bad. Sengun is slow. He’ll get caught in the air or beat off the dribble with one move. When opponents use pick-and-rolls to get their ball handlers switched onto him from the arc, it often ends poorly. If it doesn’t improve, he will get played off the court, even if his post defense is solid enough that he averaged 1.7 blocks per game. But the Thunder have time to work on it. If his offensive is as good as it was in Turkey, it’s worth it.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will not be using all six of their draft picks. They have traded pick No. 16 to the Houston Rockets, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

In exchange, the Thunder receive two future first-round draft picks, according to Wojnarowski.

Oklahoma City is already in control of Houston’s 2024 and 2026 first-round selections, both of which are top-four protected, and have rights to a pick swap in 2025 (top-10 protected)

See all future Thunder draft picks here.

The Houston Rockets used pick No. 16 on Turkish center Alperen Sengun.

Video: Houston Rockets select Jalen Green with 2nd overall pick (Yahoo! Sports)

In Sengun, the Rockets got a 6-foot-10 center who dominated the Turkish League last season to the tune of 19.2 points on 67.9% shooting from 2-point range, 9.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 28.3 minutes of play.

Oklahoma City chose to make this trade instead of taking a player like Sengun, Keon Johnson, Jalen Johnson, Kai Jones or Usman Garuba. Still holding the 18th pick, however, the Thunder will be able to draft one of them if they so choose, assuming they do not trade that pick first.

The Thunder used their first pick on Josh Giddey and traded their second pick of the night. Currently, they hold picks 18, 34, 36 and 55, thought it would not be surprising if they moved some of those as well.

MORE:

Thunder select Josh Giddey with No. 6 pick in NBA draft

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gave Josh Primo advice ahead of the draft

Evan Mobley said his favorite team growing up was the Thunder

Report: Thunder won’t issue qualifying offer to Tony Bradley

Report: Former Thunder C Steven Adams traded from Pelicans to Grizzlies