Wilson Chandler Trade Would Put Oklahoma City Thunder over the Top
With Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, the Oklahoma City Thunder possess one of the NBA's most intimidating superstar triumvirates. And yet, come each of the past four postseasons, the Thunder have felt one key contributor shy of reaching their ultimate goal.
As a result, Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti appears to be on the prowl for advanced weaponry that will help propel the Thunder into a prosperous new realm.
According to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, the Thunder are eyeing Denver Nuggets swingman Wilson Chandler in a potential trade, although no movement appears to be imminent.
"Teams continue to look at Denver as an appealing trade partner. The Cavs have been trying to acquire center Timofey Mozgov, and league sources said the Thunder have inquired about swingman Wilson Chandler," he wrote.
Given the state of Oklahoma City's roster, it shouldn't come as a surprise that it's targeting such a versatile forward capable of stretching the floor.
Outside of Kevin Durant and Anthony Morrow, the Thunder are starved for wing talent, with Andre Roberson, Jeremy Lamb and the injured Perry Jones comprising the bulk of Oklahoma City's depth when it comes to floor-spacers.
| Player | PPG | FG% | 3P% |
| Andre Roberson | 3.8 | 42.9 | 5.3 |
| Anthony Morrow | 10.9 | 42.0 | 38.8 |
| Jeremy Lamb | 11.3 | 42.9 | 37.1 |
| Kevin Durant | 20.9 | 51.1 | 33.3 |
| Wilson Chandler | 14.4 | 44.0 | 38.6 |
Through Sunday night, Oklahoma City is shooting a ghastly 31.3 percent from three, which represents a 4.8 percent decrease from the team's 14th-ranked mark a year ago.
Which is where Chandler enters the picture as an intriguing potential addition.
While the interest in Chandler may just be the result of some preliminary due diligence, the two Western Conference foes feel like natural trade partners with attainable goals in reach.
For the Thunder, it's all about short-terms gains with the Larry O'Brien Trophy in their crosshairs. As for the fledgling Nuggets, they should be focused on obtaining a bit more financial flexibility.
As things stand, Denver's books are positively jam-packed for the next two seasons. According to Basketball Insiders, the Nuggets are saddled with $73.2 million this season and a minimum of $58.2 million guaranteed next season.
However, with player options abounding, the Nuggets' 2015-16 total could balloon to as much as $79.9 million.
With those figures in mind, Denver could look for salary relief and young assets in return for Chandler—two components Oklahoma City is fully capable of providing.
There's another benefit that stands out for Oklahoma City, too. According to ShamSports.com, only $2 million of Chandler's $7.2 million 2015-16 salary is guaranteed, meaning the team would have the option to waive him and cut costs if Oklahoma City doesn't want to bog down its books in the final year of his contract.
While financial minutiae would need to be worked out, the Thunder could feasibly send Denver a package that centers around the expiring contract of Kendrick Perkins, a second-round pick and a young, rookie-scale asset like Lamb or Roberson.
In return, Oklahoma City would acquire a combo forward with a 6'8'', 220-pound frame capable of providing head coach Scott Brooks with boatloads of versatility with his five-man units.
For instance, with Chandler as a proven three-point shooter knocking down 38.6 percent of his attempts this year, Brooks could slot him at either the 3 or the 4 alongside Durant while sliding Ibaka up to the 5 for a smaller, sleeker look.
Consequently, the Thunder would stand to benefit from added floor spacing and more dependability in spot-up situations, with Westbrook slicing into the lane at will.
As a point of reference, one of Brooks' more successful small lineups last season consisted of Derek Fisher, Westbrook, Reggie Jackson, Durant and Ibaka. In 84 minutes, that group torched opponents to the tune of 122.8 points per 100 possessions and a net rating of plus-16.2 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com.
There's also the matter of another statistical silver lining, should the Thunder try and pry Chandler away by dangling Perkins' expiring deal.
As was the case throughout last season, Oklahoma City's offense is markedly better with Perkins off the floor. Following Sunday's 112-88 win over the Phoenix Suns, the Thunder are now 2.2 points better per 100 offensive possessions with Perkins on the bench, per NBA.com.
That painful trend is one reason Brooks was noncommittal regarding Perkins' starting status entering this season and has since relegated him to the pine in favor of Steven Adams.
Considerably more effective when it ditches bulkier five-man units in favor of morphing into a group of track stars and sharpshooters, Oklahoma City is brimming with frightening potential if the right pieces are shuffled into place.
Especially since the Thunder have been on a tear of late, winning six of their last seven games with Durant and Westbrook healthy.
As NBA TV notes, Oklahoma City has been positively lethal with its two studs back in the starting lineup:
"I feel like everyone is touching the basketball and cutting hard," Durant said after Sunday's win, according to ESPN.com's Royce Young. "We are playing with a lot of force."
The scary thing is that force can be amplified with a rotational tweak.
Since the trade deadline is still two months away, there's plenty of time for wheels to turn and talks to advance. But if the Thunder get serious about stacking the deck and parting with a young asset in order to chase that elusive ring, they could do far worse than a skilled combo forward like Chandler.
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