What happened: The Oklahoma City Thunder moved up in the first deal of draft night, working a trade with Memphis to select Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz at No. 16. The Grizzlies briefly held the No. 17 pick before flipping it to Detroit to slide back to No. 21. That maneuvering left Memphis with a haul of additional second-round selections.
Why it matters: For Oklahoma City, adding Stirtz extends an aggressive offseason for a roster fresh off a 2025 championship. Memphis, coming off a 25-57 finish and a playoff miss in its first year under Tuomas Iisalo, leaned further into a rebuild by trading back just five spots in exchange for a stack of future picks.
By the numbers: Stirtz averaged 19.8 points and 4.4 assists in nearly 38 minutes per game, earning All-Big Ten honors and leading Iowa to its first Elite Eight since 1987 before falling to Illinois. Days earlier, Oklahoma City dealt Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta for second-rounders in 2030 and 2032, a move reported to save the franchise more than $60 million.
What to watch: Watch how Memphis converts its stockpile of second-round picks into roster help, and whether No. 12 selection Aday Mara develops into a frontcourt answer for the Western Conference's San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama.