OKC Thunder NBA Trade Speculation: 4 Potential Backups for Kevin Durant
There is no doubt that the Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA.
The roster is piping hot with talent and potential, seemingly waiting to burst at any moment in the form of a 60-win season and a spot in the NBA Finals.
Can a team this good get any better? Hell yes!
Just when you think a roster can’t look any better, a team will go sign a Randy Moss (Pats ’07) that will push them even further.
The Thunder have been thrust into the “win now” category sooner than they expected and could use a little bolstering.
Who could be the Randy Moss to the Thunder this season? I’ve got a few ideas.
Team Needs
1 of 6The most glaring team need for the Thunder is a backup for the un-backup-able Kevin Durant.
While his two-time scoring champ-sized shoes are impossible to fill on the second line, the team must improve here. Moving James Harden into Thabo Sefolosha’s starting shooting guard spot is exciting, but it leaves the bench in a bit of a bind.
The first team looks stellar (Westbrook/Harden/Durant/Ibaka/Perkins), but the second team (Maynor/Cook/Thabo/Collison/Mohammed) has a gaping whole at the 3.
Thabo’s 5.1 points per game and 27.5-percent three-point shooting aren’t going to cut it anymore, at least not at 25 minutes a game.
While we're at it, can we just admit that he is not the defensive stopper he was heralded as when he came in?
Rookie Reggie Jackson and developmental project Robert Vaden aren’t ready to take on regular NBA minutes and don’t really fit the profile of a small forward in the first place.
The team needs someone with size who can play some defense and/or score some points for 20 minutes a night.
Luckily, there are options.
Shane Battier (Memphis)
2 of 6Thunder fans got a full serving of Shane Battier during their epic playoff series last year.
He was able to consistently give Kevin Durant fits defensively while being an able contributor on the offensive end.
Remember the big winner against the Spurs in their Game 1? The dude is clutch.
Shane is the full package in that he has all of the ability the team needs at the backup 3 spot as well as the positive, team-first attitude coveted by Sir Presti.
He made $7.4 million last year which is little high for what the Thunder have to work with and Memphis would be smart to do everything it can to lock him up.
So while Battier would be perfect, he would likely covet a high price, making this move less likely to happen than Thunder fans would hope.
Grant Hill (Phoenix)
3 of 6Grant Hill is like Shane Battier lite.
They are similar in many ways, only Hill is slightly less productive and is more of a slasher rather than a shooter.
He works hard on defense and can score if he needs to, the two things the Thunder need most at the position.
He is cheaper (made $3.2 million last year) and would be willing to take even less money to come to a contender in the twilight of his career.
The Thunder might not need Battier-like production in a backup role, so the Grant Hill option begins to make more sense.
You better believe the guy would sell some jerseys, too.
Marcus Thornton (Sacramento)
4 of 6Marcus Thornton is a restricted free agent with a $1.1 million qualifying offer expected to be carried out by the Kings, making his acquisition a little more difficult.
With his franchise in constant disarray, however, OKC’s humble surroundings might seem like paradise to the third-year man from LSU.
He wouldn’t bring the size or defensive abilities of Hill and Battier, but he is an athletic wing with good scoring ability (watch him drop 42 on GSW last season).
In 25 minutes per game last year, he put up 13.6 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 44 percent from the field, 37 percent from three and 80 percent from the stripe. That stat line is the exact plug Presti needs to stop the leaky production at the backup SF spot next season.
And at one-third the price of Thabo, the deal gets even sweeter.
Reggie Williams (Golden State)
5 of 6Reggie Williams is another restricted free agent suffering in another inept program.
He’s got two inches on Thornton, but at five pounds lighter, he gives up a little more on the defensive end (although he made a nice defensive play here).
He shot very well last season (48 percent FG, 41 percent 3P) and hails from Virginia Military Institute which (we can only assume) would mean his head is on straight… a must under the Presti regime.
He is cheap ($1.1 million qualifying offer) and can score. What else is there?!
Other Far-fetched Options
6 of 6There are several other options out there that don’t quite meet enough of the criteria to join the team. Not to say they couldn’t happen, I just don’t think they will.
Some are too expensive (Mike Dunleavy, Andrei Kirilenko) and others just don’t feel right (Tayshaun Prince, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady).
If the Thunder don’t make any moves in the offseason (if we get one), they will be poised for another Northwest Division title, top-four seed in the West and deep playoff run. I believe one more move, however, could make the difference between “title contender” to “title favorite.”
Thunder up!
