Thunder still ‘haunted’ by 2021 decision to trade $185 million All-Star

The Oklahoma City Thunder have picked up where they left off in their quest for back-to-back championships, looking dominant despite early injury concerns. 

The Thunder have built the best young core in the NBA and appear poised to contend for years to come. Aside from reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, two members of the team's “Big Three” — Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams — were acquired through the draft. 

The Thunder famously acquired Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Paul George in July 2019. One of those first-round picks eventually turned into Williams.

MORE: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander breaks silence on Anthony Edwards' jab

Thunder ‘haunted’ by Alperen Sengun trade 

Not every trade works out, though. During the 2021 NBA Draft, the Thunder traded away the No. 16 overall pick, Alperen Sengun, for two future first-round picks. Those selections were ultimately dealt to the New York Knicks for the No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 Draft, which became Ousmane Dieng. 

Getting into the Halloween spirit, Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley highlighted a trade that has “haunted” every NBA team, naming the Sengun trade for the Thunder. 

“One of the early highlights of the new campaign was watching Sengun, an all-systems-go level of rising star, go toe-to-toe with the defending champs,” Buckley wrote. “What's scary to realize, though, is these two didn't actually have to be on opposing sides.” 

Sengun is coming off his first All-Star nod in the 2024-25 campaign, during which he averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game across 76 regular-season appearances. 

While it's impossible to say whether Oklahoma City would have still landed the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 Draft, or if Sengun would have reached his potential with the Thunder, it's scary to think what could have been. 

Meanwhile, Dieng has struggled to carve out a consistent role on a deep Thunder roster. It's safe to say the Thunder would take this one back if they could.

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