Oklahoma City Thunder: Reviewing Kevin Durant and Co.'s Week in Hoops

This week, the Thunder only played two games and were able to win both. Usually it's hard to nitpick in a week without a loss, especially when one of the wins comes against one the East's best teams, the Orlando Magic, and the other comes on the road against the Houston Rockets. But there was one major thing that jumped out to me in both games. This weakness is probably obvious: OKC lacks a legitimate inside presence.

Currently, the Thunder are able to get by with the likes of Nenad Kristic, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison patrolling the interior; however, this won't cut it come playoff time. Kristic is a valuable asset as a midrange jump-shooter, working off Russell Westbrook's drives, but when he tries to do work down in the post, he's as soft as a therapeutic pillow.

Ibaka has elite, raw athleticism he uses to make high energy plays that get the crowd going, but he lacks the size needed to hang with players like Dwight Howard. This was on display against the Magic when the usually high-flying Ibaka was held to only four rebounds while fouling out with two minutes left in a close game.

Collison is probably the most polished big-man defender on the team, but he also lacks size as well as the athleticism it takes to play with the elite big men of the league. With players like these manning the middle, the Thunder gave up 31 points and 11 boards to Houston's Louis Scola and 38 points and 18 boards to the Magic's Dwight Howard.

They can get by with this lack of interior defense during the regular season because of their excellent play at other positions, but come playoff time, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will find it much harder to play against the veteran, stingy defenses that teams tend to come up against in the playoffs. My solution to this lack of an inside presence might not be the most popular one, but it may be just what this team needs to take the next step, and that is to trade away a combination of players that includes James Harden.

Before you completely disregard this idea, here me out. No one likes the bearded assassin more than me, but he has yet to take that next big step you often see in a player's third year. His current averages of 10.7 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game and 1.9 assists per game aren't terrible for someone coming off the bench, but you have to expect more from someone drafted third overall. Plus, I just can't see him taking over the starting job from Thabo Sefolosha anytime soon because Thabo is one of the best perimeter defenders in the game, and Green is simply solid points off the bench.

Therefore, it makes sense to try and get what they can out of him now and grab a solid post presence. If they are able to bring in someone who can legitimately stand up to the Pau Gasols and the Tim Duncans of the world that makes their lineup that much more dangerous.

I foresee a starting lineup that sticks the current perimeter players with Serge Ibaka at the four and the new post presence at the five, with one of the best do-everything players in league, Jeff Green, coming off the bench and leading a great second unit; much like Lamar Odom does with the Lakers.

I'm not for sure who the player I would choose to trade for is, but there seems to be quite a few teams that could use the young talent Harden brings. So, I don't imagine it would be too hard to find a suitor for him. Tell me if you agree or disagree with my trade idea in the comments.