NBA
NBA insiders say it’s ‘highly unlikely’ the Thunder trade this 2025 NBA champion
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated3 mins ago on August 19, 2025
In 2024-25, the Thunder’s 68-14 finish was the top record in the NBA. Oklahoma City had the #1 seed in the West heading into the 2025 playoffs.
The Indiana Pacers forced Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Thunder, but OKC won the title. General manager Sam Presti has been working for years to build a championship lineup for Oklahoma City. Recently, Hoops Wire’s Sam Amico said Thunder’s Isaiah Joe could be a trade candidate this offseason. However, he also said it is “highly unlikely” that OKC makes any moves ahead of 2025-26.
Oklahoma City is keeping its championship roster intact this offseason
Thunder sharpshooter Isaiah Joe ranks 3rd in stable catch-and-shoot 3PT% (2024-25).
The top 5?
1. Taurean Prince 43.3%
2. Karl-Anthony Towns 41.7%
3. Isaiah Joe 41.7%
4. Kevin Durant 41.5%
5. Payton Pritchard 41.4%(Via @The_BBall_Index) | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/OgACDBNo1J
— SleeperThunder (@SleeperThunder) August 15, 2025
With a second-round pick in the 2020 NBA draft, the 76ers selected Isaiah Joe out of Arkansas. He played two seasons in Philadelphia before he was waived following the 2021-22 season. Joe joined the Thunder for the 2022-23 season and has been with the team since. In three seasons with OKC, Joe has played in 225 games and has made 27 starts. The 2024-25 season was a career-best year for Isaiah Joe around the board.
His 10.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game were new career-highs. That includes his 21.7 minutes per game and 16 starts. The 26-year-old is someone head coach Mark Daigneault can rely on. Recently, NBA insider Sam Amico mentioned Isaiah Joe as a trade candidate for the Thunder. However, Amico called it “highly unlikely” that OKC trades anyone from their championship roster for the upcoming season.
Isaiah Joe: NBA CHAMPION 🏆 pic.twitter.com/LxdM3ijfyQ
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) June 23, 2025
Amico mentioned how the team has plenty of young talent on the roster and a ton of draft capital. Oklahoma City just won a championship last year. Why would they change any part of their roster? The team’s oldest player is 31-year-old Alex Caruso. OKC’s roster is one of the youngest in the NBA, and the team is still poised to be a championship contender again in 2025-26.
Isaiah Joe has been a quality role player off the bench for OKC. During the team’s championship run last season, Joe played in 21 of OKC’s 23 games. In 2025-26, his minutes could be reduced as Nikola Topic is returning for the Thunder. He was the 12th overall pick by OKC in 2024 but missed the entire season due to injury. Topic is a polished European player who could come in and instantly make an impact off the bench for the Thunder. Potentially cutting into the playing time of Isaiah Joe and depth pieces.
