Ideal Trade Partners for the Oklahoma City Thunder During the 2015 NBA Offseason
The Oklahoma City Thunder showed a willingness to shake things up last year, and more moves could be on the horizon this offseason. For the most part, general manager Sam Presti has done a great job of assembling the roster, but there are still a few holes on the depth chart, and OKC doesn’t have the cap space to fill those spots with free agents.
Even if the Thunder had cap space, they don’t have many roster spots to offer free agents; the squad currently has 13 players under contract for next season. An NBA team can have a maximum of 15 players on its roster during the regular season, and OKC could be at that limit if it re-signs Enes Kanter and brings Josh Huestis up from the D-League—in which case they wouldn’t even be able to sign a draft pick.
Considering the team’s weaknesses, cap situation and limited roster space, a trade seems likely at some point this offseason. Presti has a few assets he could potentially dangle in negotiations, the most valuable of which is the 14th pick in the draft. As Presti explained to Royce Young of Daily Thunder, that pick may be an unusually alluring trade chip in this draft:
"I think this particular draft has a significant amount of depth. I think it’s pretty equally distributed and as the days turn into weeks and we get toward the day of the draft, I think there’s going to be an increased interest in the middle of this draft in particular.
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What kinds of trades are out there, marinating in the minds of NBA executives? Honestly, I have no idea, but these are three teams that have the picks and/or players that should pique Presti and the Thunder's interest.
The Hornets had a terribly disappointing season, finishing five games back of the playoffs. Injuries certainly played a role, but there are bigger underlying problems. The roster is awkward and clunky, a condition that was only exacerbated by the disastrous addition of Lance Stephenson.
Even with a completely healthy squad, this team has a low ceiling. The Hornets need to embrace a rebuild around their intriguing young players, and that means acquiring as much cheap, young talent as possible. They have the chance to add such a player with the ninth pick this year, but they may be able to maximize those efforts in a trade with the Thunder.
The Hornets may need more depth in its frontcourt, with Bismack Biyombo and Jason Maxiell hitting free agency and Al Jefferson possibly joining them if he opts out this summer. Mitch McGary could be the answer to that problem.
It was hard not to notice McGary when he was on the court last year. His hustle was apparent from the second he checked in, but he’s more than just an energy guy. He looked comfortable on the offensive end as a passer and a pick-and-roll man. He needs to improve on the defensive end, but he could be a long-term piece for the Hornets and is on a cheap contract that runs through the 2017-18 season.
Charlotte may also be among the teams that have some interest in Jeremy Lamb since their point guard (Kemba Walker) knows him well from their time at UConn. In addition to that friendship, Lamb would bring some needed three-point shooting to Charlotte, and a change of scenery could help him reach his potential.
The key to this trade is Charlotte agreeing with Presti’s assertion that there is a well-distributed crop of talent in the upcoming draft. If their favorite prospects are off the board at No. 9, the Hornets’ best option may be to trade down and net more picks and a talented, young player.
What’s In It For OKC?
OKC's prize is the chance to move up in the draft by obtaining Charlotte’s No. 9 pick. Presti would probably have to give up at least one young player (e.g. McGary or Lamb) and his 14th pick, but that’s a small price to pay if he has eyes for a prospect that’s available at No. 9 and may not be around when the Thunder are on the clock.
OKC’s frontcourt depth is solid enough (assuming the Thunder re-sign Kanter) that the loss of McGary shouldn’t be a major problem, and Lamb has never found his role with the Thunder. On the contrary, the reward of the ninth pick is absolutely tantalizing.
The Thunder could benefit greatly if they’re able to nab a player like Justise Winslow, Stanley Johnson, Mario Hezonja or Devin Booker. All of those prospects could be the missing piece OKC has been looking for on the wings.
The Hornets would have to trade back a player or two to make the salaries match up, and there are some intriguing “throw-in” options for the Thunder, such as P.J. Hairston.
There are definitely glaring questions about his work ethic, but he has the tools to become a nice three-and-D player. Whether he’ll ever realize that potential is a big question mark, but the Thunder can decline his option next year if he’s too problematic.
It would surprise absolutely nobody to see the Sixers make a draft-night trade, and Presti may be the one striking a deal with Philadelphia GM Sam Hinkie. Hinkie is conducting a fascinating basketball experiment, and he’s shown a willingness to sell high on young players if he can get better assets in return (see: Michael Carter-Williams).
The Sixers may be interested in some of OKC’s younger players, but their track record suggests the 14th pick will be the most alluring asset Presti can offer. Hinkie’s multiyear tankathon won’t be over for at least a couple of more seasons, so adding another lottery pick to the core of Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and this year’s No. 3 pick is an intriguing proposition.
In addition to the draft pick, the Thunder would have to include a player (such as McGary or Lamb) to make the dollars match up. If Hinkie sees one of his favorite prospects on the board at No. 14, he may not be able to resist acquiring two assets for the price of one.
What’s In It For OKC?
There’s only one player on the Sixers roster who is a realistic OKC target: Robert Covington. After burning up the D-League, Covington signed on with Philadelphia and opened eyes all around the NBA.
He proved to be a sharpshooter, drilling 37 percent of his treys in an awful offense without playmakers, floor spacing or post threats. The defense wasn’t great, but Covington showed flashes of potential on that end and has the physical tools to become a versatile defender capable of shadowing 2 through 4.
Furthermore, he’s on an extremely cheap deal that pays him around $1 million per year through the 2017-18 season. Covington has the versatility to back up Kevin Durant or start at shooting guard, and his shooting makes him a dangerous fit in the OKC offense.
The Raptors are in NBA purgatory with a good-but-not-great roster that fell apart over the second half of the season. GM Masai Ujiri will have some interesting decisions to make this summer since he has a few key players hitting free agency (Lou Williams, Amir Johnson and Tyler Hansbrough).
Ujiri is still working with a roster crafted by his predecessor, so it’s possible he tries to blow the whole thing up and start over. If that’s the case, getting a higher draft pick (Toronto has the 20th selection in the draft) would be a good starting point.
The Thunder could offer the last lottery pick as well as a nice young player like McGary or Lamb who'd develop nicely in a rebuilding situation with more playing time.
What’s In It For OKC?
For the Thunder to trade down, three things need to happen:
- Presti needs to be unimpressed with the value left at No. 14.
- Presti is enamored with a prospect who will most likely be available later in the draft.
- OKC also gets a player who can help it right away.
With a relatively deep draft class, it’s quite possible Presti feels that he’ll get the best bang for his buck if he trades down and picks up an extra player in the process. Toronto has two candidates who can fill out wing depth and play postseason minutes for OKC next season: James Johnson and Terrence Ross.
Both are entering the last year of their deals, minimizing the leverage Ujiri can wield in trade talks. More importantly, they are both versatile and would fill multiple roles for the Thunder.
Ross is a tremendous athlete with a pure shooting stroke (37 percent from three last year). His defense has been inconsistent, but he certainly has the tools to become a very good perimeter defender. He would instantly become the best all-around SG option on the Thunder roster, and he has the size to play minutes at small forward as a backup to Durant.
Johnson doesn’t provide much in the form of floor spacing, but he’s a tough, physical defender who doesn’t kill you on offense. His most valuable trait is defensive versatility.
His 6’9”, 245-pound frame allows him to body up with 4s, but he is still quick and long enough to deal with most 2s and even some 1s. His decision-making is questionable at best, but being a part of a true championship contender may help him settle into his role instead of forcing too much.
Acquiring either Ross or Johnson would help fill out OKC’s depth on the wings, and the talent drop-off from pick No. 14 to pick No. 20 may not be that significant—especially given Presti’s track record of finding steals late in the first round.
Note: All stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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