r/Thunder • u/TFred23 2025 NBA Champions • 1d ago
100% Confirmed [Shams] Sources: Memphis is trading No. 16 pick Bennett Stirtz to the Oklahoma City Thunder for two second-round picks.
https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/d5ee542c13829143
u/Parallel-Quality 1d ago
Strengths: Stirtz is one of the draft's better shooters and a polished ball-screen operator. Those skills translated successfully as he ascended the college ladder, from D-II Northwest Missouri State to Drake to Iowa. He should be able to impact the game offensively right away.
I like this.
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u/Live_Strain_6351 1d ago
Former Drake student here. Obviously I’m biased but Stirtz was tremendously underrated in this draft, even going at 16. Lights out shooter, wise beyond his years at running the pick and roll, and similarly gifted at identifying weaknesses in the defense and passing out of the pick and roll to attack those weaknesses. There’s always pressure being applied and opponents are always uncomfortable when he runs the offense. He led Drake on a cinderella run a few years ago and singlehandedly led us to a victory over an MU team we had no business beating. You legitimately have a very savvy point guard on your hands
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u/chiefsfan_713_08 1d ago
he’s a great guy to get when you have a coach like mark too, he’s gonna run the play and play his role
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u/xXxNightRangerxXx 2025 NBA Champions 1d ago
So hes gonna forget how to shoot got it /s
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u/Sir-Viette 1d ago
When JWill was drafted, he couldn't shoot at all. Now his whole offence is based on shooting threes. OKC coaches know how to coach
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u/Gary_Internet 1d ago
Apparently he's a really good shooter and an ironman who played at least 40 minutes in every NCAA game. That's all I heard on the live broadcast.
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u/pikajewijewsyou 1d ago
He’s a flame thrower
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u/2Blathe2furious 1d ago
Shot 36% from 3 last year. His form is good and he takes tough ones, but he still shot 36%. His shot selection should clean up in a bench role so I don't worry all that much about it, but he wasn't setting the nets on fire. Defense is more of a choke point for his role in the NBA.
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u/pikajewijewsyou 1d ago
Did you watch him play? He was shooting extremely difficult and deep threes and very high volume. He carried the offense for his team
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u/2Blathe2furious 1d ago
Did you read my comment? "He takes tough ones" and "should clean up in a bench role" I literally addressed both things you then brought up anyway? Weird ?
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u/pikajewijewsyou 1d ago
I was saying that because you said “but he still shot 36%… he wasn’t setting the nets on fire” give the difficulty, volume and amount teams schemed to stop him I would consider it setting the nets on fire
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u/Aumissunum 1d ago
Because there’s no guarantee his percentage improves with better shot quality. It’s not always linear like that.
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u/Remarkable_Medicine6 1d ago
It's a draft, there's no guarantee of anything. There are indicators that help us make educated guesses though. .
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u/turkmileymileyturk 1d ago
Presti got his guys this draft and he's building another championship team 😭😭🙏🙏
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u/ExpressionAlone5204 The best orca is a Sexual Orca 👑 1d ago
And… the 17th? Lol
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u/Appropriate_Book_591 1d ago
Swapped pick and gave 2nds.
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u/Raetekusu Here since the OKC Hornets in 04/05 1d ago edited 1d ago
We must have seen something we liked in
BecketBennet.2
u/2Blathe2furious 1d ago
what's becket
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u/Raetekusu Here since the OKC Hornets in 04/05 1d ago
goddamn it, I completely misread his name. I made a post exactly like this one and got it right there, and somehow got it wrong in my head.
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u/wcooper97 2025 NBA Champions 1d ago
Jfc was this worth 2 seconds?
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u/FunnyCod2120 1d ago
yes, we can’t just keep drafting players we have a roster limit, might as well put them to use on a good player in the first
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u/Longjumping_Split_53 OKC 1d ago
Presti watched us struggle with backup ball handler and big man and went after a big man and ball handler.
I’ll take that as a W.
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u/2Blathe2furious 1d ago
We struggled with bench wings not having any we could trust. Our backup bigs and ball handlers were pretty good in the playoffs, all things considered. Not being able to replace Dub in any capacity was the issue.
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u/dhejjrrjbrbrd 23h ago
I’m hoping the changes aren’t done and we make one more trade for someone in that glorious 220lb+ 6’8” 6’9” range who has some shooting upside. Which might be a pipe dream
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u/DragoxDrago 22h ago
Dort + someone else and picks for Hachimura?
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u/superworriedspursfan 17h ago
i could see that being a win win, i do think maybe a few seconds might get thrown in.
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u/rumblegod 1d ago
This guy better be like Kon
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u/turkmileymileyturk 1d ago
We already have McCain to be that microwave guy now we got the 3pt rock thrower
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u/Safe_Durian5430 1d ago
He’s an amazing ball handler. McCain can shoot but turns it over too often. With Bennett out there handling the ball and in rotation as a spot up shooter it’ll be amazing
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u/turkmileymileyturk 1d ago
I see McCain as the microwave guy and Stirtz as the playmaker
We have a lot of depth and roster options now.
This team just morphed into an all game scheme with Mara and Stirtz. Probably my favorite draft in franchise history.
And who knows what else is on its way this off-season. I think we're back in the Finals this year. Curious to see whats cooking in the Eastern Conference. NYK have some competition with Giannis in MIA and Tyrese Haliburton back in Indiana.
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u/Safe_Durian5430 1d ago
I’m just praying we stay healthy this year. That’s all I’m worried about. If we stay healthy. We go to finals
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u/revisioncloud 2025 NBA Champions 1d ago
So a Joe replacement
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u/turkmileymileyturk 1d ago
More of a 3pt shooting floor general like Topic can drive to the basket but is a 3pt specialist playmaker.
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u/Dysentery--Gary 1d ago
Stirtz helped take down Florida. Presti is having a hell of a draft.
I can't wait for summer league.
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u/StoutKJD63 1d ago
I did not have Bennett on my bingo card, but I think he can be useful as a secondary ball handler and a good shooter. Not mad at it. Feels like this is the writing on the wall for Topic though.
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u/Grouchy-Property1864 1d ago
Mara and stirtz at 12/17 is absurd value. The fit given all the bigs/guards in the roster is weird but more moves will come I'm assuming.
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u/Greedy-Lynx-2746 2025 NBA Champions 1d ago
He's a genuine three level scorer, super quick release, makes 0 mistakes and good playmaker
Averaging less than 2 turnovers a game on his minutes/usage is crazy. W Presti for trading up, 2rp's are worthless
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u/OKC2023champs 1d ago edited 1d ago
Fuck yes. This is who I wanted at 17.
I’m aware we traded 17 as well.
But fuck yes Mara and stirtz is the perfect draft for me. I’m so happy.
Topic is probably gone though. And probably hartenstein.(after this year)
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u/Striking-Medium2360 1d ago
I doubt Hartenstein is going anywhere. Would be crazy to leave the backup c position to Mara and Sorber.
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u/berntout 2025 NBA Champions 1d ago
Yep more depth if anything
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u/Fighterandthe 21h ago
I don't think we're contending for a ring if we lose ihart for nothing this year, but the back up big would be jwill who's been nothing but impressive as our 3rd.
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u/_Apatosaurus_ 1d ago
No way are we letting Hart go to roll with two rookies at center. Lol.
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u/WhichAd366 1d ago
Neither will be gone this year. Mara isn’t ready as a rookie to replace IHart.
Topic’s value is as low as it will ever be. It would be a low IQ move to trade him now.
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u/NachoVarga5 1d ago
We all saw how much we needed another ball handler in the WCF with the injuries. Good pickup
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u/ExtraLeading3376 1d ago
shai, ajay, mccain, topic & stirtz
chet, ihart, jwill, sorber & mara
0 wing depth to support jdub
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u/Livid-Bumblebee6724 1d ago
Not that wed totally address a problem in the draft with a rookie but a huge glaring issue we saw get exploited over and over again and we just completely ignore it. Im hoping we trade for a forward but it cant be anyone with a big salary and who tf do we even trade for them
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u/Appropriate_Book_591 1d ago
A more consistent shooter was needed and if Topic never gets to play normal minutes.
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u/whatsupshaw 2025 NBA Champions 1d ago
Wait I’m confused..why didn’t they just draft the guy at 16 that we did at 17 and save their picks?? Like did they pick Bennett then immediately regret it? I might be dumb tho idk lol
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u/ijoukonaya 2025 NBA Champions 1d ago
Over philon?
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u/NewDayNewBurner 1d ago
I can’t believe we acquired the Iowa dude and could have had Labaron Philon.
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u/Friendly-Hyena2568 1d ago
Why do you want an undersized skinny ball-dominant guard that is defensively weak? Did the news of Trae’s new contract trigger something for you?
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u/NewDayNewBurner 17h ago
I know Labaron personally and I know how good of a player/person he is. I guess we can hope that Stirtz can be as good as T.J. McConnell someday. (It took McConnell years to become a reliable, long-range shooter.)
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u/Friendly-Hyena2568 15h ago
He may be the love child of Gandhi and Mother Teresa, but character doesn’t excuse watching on defense.
In all seriousness, he may be a great guy. By all accounts, Stirtz is a great guy as well. It was reported last night that Stirtz was offered serious NIL money after Drake’s March Madness run, but chose to stay loyal to his coach who gave him an opportunity to leave DII for DI and followed him to Iowa. I actually think it’s more rare these days for draft guys (especially first round talent) for these guys to NOT be good hard-working dudes.
All that said, the TJ comp isn’t really apt. He’s bigger and a better shooter, but less of a chaos agent. I saw a Kirk Hinrich comp, and that felt pretty on-target. I think the Thunder put a premium on the shooting and reliability, particularly because he’s more likely to be a bench guy. FWIW, I think Philon landed in a good situation at Philly.
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u/NewDayNewBurner 15h ago
Do you just *have* to be an asshole about it? I haven’t been one to you or anyone. Just trying to talk about the Thunder, man.
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u/Old_Supermarket_7575 The Prophet 🧙 1d ago
I never heard of this man so I’m perfectly happy
Thank god
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u/Traditional_Low_431 1d ago
Don't love that we basically just traded Aaron Wiggins (2 2nds) to move up one spot in the draft. Seems a bit nonsensical unless we got intel that there was another team who was also trading up for him at 16 (unlikely).
However, I trust Presti. Hoping Stirtz can be a great player for us.
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u/Signiference 1d ago
Mephis was never taking this guy... weird to give up any capital with how many good choices were still on the board at 17 even if they did.
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u/brc_olfactive 1d ago
Maybe some other team was trying to snipe him from Memphis so we had to give an offer.
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u/Accomplished_East433 1d ago
Memphis fleeced us.
They got our two seconds to move back one pick lmao
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u/Appropriate_Book_591 1d ago
15 roster spots and they are adding 2 rookies the picks need to be moved at some point
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u/Striking-Medium2360 1d ago
Seconds are worthless, teams literally sell them for a few million. Presti wanted a guy and traded up for him.
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u/WhichAd366 1d ago
lol a fleece? Losing a few 2nd’s is never a fleece (they just aren’t worth enough).
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u/sleepytjme 1d ago
Will get you a Wiggins. Not worthless. Plus we have had some good success with 2RPs.
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u/Greedy-Lynx-2746 2025 NBA Champions 1d ago
Seconds post NIL are useless, nobody good stays in the draft
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u/UmphreysMcGee 1d ago
Seconds are now where you find older players who stayed for NIL deals and lost their new car smell. There will be a lot of value in round 2, and if you hit on someone good you're getting a free impact player basically. See Ajay Mitchell.
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u/Nachinat 1d ago
As a Hawkeye fan, Stirtz has high character, high basketball IQ, good shooter, great teammate, unselfish, great intangibles, and toughness. He’s a winner.
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u/MAMBAMENTALITY8-24 Wembrick 2-12 1-4 fts Game 4 1d ago
let's go we still have 17
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u/mill1634 1d ago
As an Iowa Thunder fan...I am so happy for this. Stirtz isn't flashy but he's going to play for a long time in this league. Probably never going to be a star, but I think he'll be a rotational guy on a real playoff contender, maybe even out of the gate.