Thunder trade machine
Thunder trades here are checked against the modeled 2023 CBA rules — salary matching, apron limits, hard caps, and pick rules — starting from the current 2026 offseason data, not a blank slate.
What the Thunder can still do
Figures come from the current 2026 offseason feed; exceptions already spent in the feed stay spent.
Biggest Thunder salaries, 2026-27
Common questions
Can the Thunder use the mid-level exception?
Not the full one — at $235.0M in salary they're limited to the taxpayer MLE at most.
Can the Thunder aggregate salaries in a trade?
No — they're over the second apron ($221.7M), which bars aggregation entirely.
Are the Thunder hard-capped?
Not yet — but using the full MLE, the BAE, expanded matching, a sign-and-trade acquisition, or signing a waived player whose prior contract topped the mid-level would freeze the first apron ($209.0M) as their ceiling; the taxpayer mid-level, combining salaries in a trade, or sending cash can freeze the second apron.
Can the Thunder trade a first-round pick?
Yes — they control their own future firsts plus 5 incoming, subject to the Stepien rule's ban on trading firsts in consecutive future drafts.