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Thunder GM Sam Presti’s honest take on trading up to No. 16 to draft Bennett Stirtz
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- Thunder GM Sam Presti’s honest take on trading up to No. 16 to draft Bennett Stirtz
Thunder GM Sam Presti's honest take on trading up to No. 16 to draft Bennett Stirtz appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
When Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti traded up to No. 16 in this year's draft to select Bennett Stirtz , many viewed it as the team's replacement for Isaiah Joe . Three days removed from the 2026 draft, the Thunder traded Joe to the Detroit Pistons for draft capital. Facing the media for the first time since Tuesday's draft, Presti addressed what went into targeting Stirtz in the first round.
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Presti explained how Stirtz checked off many of the Thunder's boxes during the draft process. Presti was impressed by Stirtz's offensive approach and overall feel for the game, but knows there's still plenty of work ahead for the Thunder rookie.
"We're always looking to move up. We had multiple plans to do different things with the players that we're looking to acquire are not available. In this case, it worked out for us," Presti said. "Bennett is a player that has a great feel for the game, has been successful at multiple levels, and I think, in an NBA context, some of the things he does will be very amplified. At the same time, he's got a lot of work to do, just like every one of the guys that's ever sat up here at this table.
"But he's ready to do that. He's shown that he's willing to make sacrifices in order to win, and those are very important traits in the modern NBA."
As for Bennett Stirtz, he's eager to prove to himself and his new Thunder teammates, including playing off the ball, as the open looks that often landed in the hands of Isaiah Joe over the past three seasons, will be shared with Stirtz in 2026-27.
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"Playing off the ball is something I feel comfortable with, but whatever the coaches want me to do, I'm willing to do it," Stirtz said. "I'm comfortable with doing anything, and I want to just serve the guys on the team the best I can to win some ball games."
Thunder GM Sam Presti and fans will get their first look at Bennett Stirtz in July during this year's summer league.
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