Mike Muscala’s buzzer-beating three-point shot won Wednesday night’s game over the Heat for the Thunder, but it arguably cost the team something much more valuable — its 2020 first round draft pick.
As we noted in this space previously, a poor showing in Orlando (coupled by a few wins from some of the league’s others teams) could have essentially yielded Oklahoma City an additional first round draft pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Back in November 2016, the Thunder pulled off a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers which saw Jerami Grant and his talents head to Oklahoma City. The Sixers nabbed the Thunder’s 2020 first round draft pick in exchange, but the pick was top-20 protected, meaning that if it fell within the top-20 of the draft, the Thunder would retain the selection.
Said differently, if the Thunder completed the 2019-20 NBA season with one of the NBA’s top-10 records, it would lose its first round pick.
Mike Muscala’s shot accomplished exactly that.
With Wednesday night’s win, the Thunder improved to 44-27 — good for the eighth-best record in the league. If the season ended today, Oklahoma City would have the 22nd pick in the draft, which means the pick would convey to the Sixers.
Although the Thunder, Heat and Pacers each have one game remaining in the regular season, at worst, the Thunder would finish the season with the ninth-best record.
It just so happens that the Heat and Pacers — which are both currently 44-28 — will play each other in their final game of the regular season. One of them will finish the season at 45-28 while the other will be 44-29.
At worst, the Thunder will finish the season 44-28, so whichever of the Heat and Pacers end the season at 44-29 will end up with the 10th best record and the 20th pick.
Had the Thunder each of its last two games and ended the season at 43-29, it could have finished with the 10th-best record and the 20th pick. In that scenario, the pick would have reverted to Oklahoma City.
Obviously, it wasn’t meant to be.
By the virtue of one shot, the Thunder are guaranteed to finish the season, at worst, with the ninth-best record, which means the 21st pick, which means it goes to Philadelphia.
That’s probably good for Billy Donovan’s pocketbook, but not so good for Sam Presti’s supply of draft picks.
