Isaiah Joe is turning into one of the names to watch as Oklahoma City starts sorting through its offseason decisions. After the Thunder made three picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, the team still has room to reshape the roster, and Joe now sits near the center of that conversation.
That is a change worth watching because Joe just posted the best regular season of his career. He averaged 11.1 points and shot 42.3% from beyond the arc, while taking roughly six threes per game. For a player built around spacing the floor, those numbers normally secure a meaningful playoff role. Instead, he was again left on the outside of the postseason rotation in 2026.
Joe’s rise with the Thunder had been steady enough to make him look like a long-term piece. Over time, he grew into one of the league’s best 3-point shooters, and his 11.1 points and 42.3% from deep were both career-bests. That is why his possible availability now matters: Oklahoma City is not dealing with a fringe player who never fit. It is dealing with a shooter who clearly helped in the regular season and still could not break into the playoff group when the games tightened.
The split between those two versions of Joe is the story. His struggles and lack of playing time were tied almost entirely to the postseason, where his 3-point percentage dropped to 34.8% and the Thunder kept him out of the rotation. The regular season said one thing. The playoff usage said another. That gap is what makes him a credible trade candidate, even after a strong year by his own numbers.
Oklahoma City’s broader offseason review only adds to that possibility. Cason Wallace’s potential extension is near the top of the list, while Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams also have options or possible impending free agency. In that group, Joe stands out because he may be the easiest player to move if the Thunder decide the roster needs a different balance.
What Oklahoma City would want in return is not clear, and that may define how quickly this moves. But the direction is plain enough: Joe’s time with the Thunder could be nearing an end, and the next stretch of days and weeks should show whether the team treats him as part of the future or as an asset to be used somewhere else.
