Depending on who you ask, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in 12 months two or three of their rebuild, however that doesn’t matter. What issues is that the early returns on the Thunder’s funding within the draft is paying off ahead of anticipated, although two of their high picks within the 2022 NBA Draft haven’t performed a lot or in any respect.
According to Basketball Reference, the Thunder’s preseason odds have been set at simply 23.5 wins, highlighting precisely how Las Vegas books and followers across the league thought in regards to the crew’s trajectory. But simply 43 video games into the season, Oklahoma City has received 20 video games and at the moment holds the 14th-best internet score.
Not solely are the Thunder defying expectations, they’re crushing them. Especially as of late. They have received 9 of their final 14 video games and are producing the sixth-best defensive score and offensive score, fourth-best help share, seventh-lowest turnover share, all whereas recording the seventh-best tempo. Per recreation, the Thunder have additionally transformed on 39% of their 33.9 3-point makes an attempt, good for fourth within the NBA.
While the crew has began to play extraordinarily properly, a few of their gamers haven’t carried out fairly the way in which many followers have hoped. And on a crew chocked filled with expertise that has 12 gamers locked up via the 2024-25 season, a possible extension for Aleksej Pokusevski coming quickly, and a attainable seven draft picks throughout the subsequent two years, the maths signifies {that a} consolidation commerce is just about inevitable and can in all probability occur quickly.
How quickly?
Well, the Thunder would not have to make a commerce in any respect this 12 months, nevertheless it is likely to be of their greatest curiosity to take action. They might simply sit tight till the top of the 12 months, however they’ve just a few selections to make earlier than the Feb. 9 commerce deadline.
One of these selections might be on Darius Bazley’s future in Oklahoma City. The fourth-year ahead might be getting into restricted free company this coming summer time however has underwhelmed offensively, producing 13.1 factors per 36 minutes and a 51.1 true taking pictures share. While his uncoordinated drives and poor decision-making hang-out him, his prowess on the defensive aspect of the ball may entice some groups to half with a second-round choose if the entrance workplace needs to half methods with Bazley.
And whereas Mike Muscala’s potential to stretch the ground has helped open up the Thunder’s offense at instances, the ninth-year veteran doesn’t actually match the franchise’s timeline. Oklahoma City will maintain the suitable to pay the soon-to-be 32 12 months previous 3.5 million subsequent 12 months or let him stroll. But maybe a contender may discover worth within the cheap flooring spacer and his built-in crew possibility for subsequent 12 months.
Lu Dort might be the subsequent massive piece that General Manager Sam Presti might need to deal away. After signing him to a five-year, 82.5 million greenback contract, Dort is scoring simply 13.9 factors per recreation whereas changing simply 40.3% of his pictures from the sphere, 33.6% from behind the 3-point line, and has the fourth-lowest assist-to-usage ratio on the crew.
It additionally doesn’t assist that the Thunder’s latest lottery choose in Jalen Williams has outplayed Dort this 12 months. And with restricted minutes on the guard and wing positions, however an abundance of expertise in guys like Tre Mann, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Ousmane Dieng, and whoever they could choose within the 2023 NBA Draft, it’d behoove Oklahoma City’s entrance workplace to maneuver on from Dort and open up taking part in time to maximise the event of others.
So, might Dort be traded earlier than this season?
It’s attainable. Due to signing his new take care of the Thunder, the franchise was briefly restricted from buying and selling him, however that expired on Saturday evening. The Thunder are actually free to maneuver him as they please, however maybe higher offers might be discovered this offseason, or doubtlessly on the evening of the draft and past.
Should Oklahoma City look to the commerce market this season, there are just a few names that might be made obtainable on the commerce market and would make sense for the Thunder.
Golden State Warriors’ former third total choose James Wiseman is certainly one of them. The Warriors at the moment boast a luxurious tax invoice north of 40 million, one they could need to trim, and the 7-footer has spent extra time within the G League than with the crew that drafted him this season. If the Thunder can get their arms on Wiseman, he would signify a minimal-risk, high-upside gamble that might vastly enhance their front-court.
Other names that might be obtainable for the suitable value that the Thunder might take into account are Saddiq Bey, John Collins, and PJ Washington.
Another factor to bear in mind is that the Thunder are projected to have between 30 and 40 million {dollars} in cap area subsequent 12 months, relying on what occurs in offseason. During Presti’s end-of-season media availability in 2022, the final supervisor remarked, “We know 23 is where a lot of things come off the books and we’ll have more flexibility and we might dabble in that a little bit more at the point.”
Could the free agent market be a spot so as to add expertise ahead of later?
If the Thunder do plan on “dabbling” within the free agent market this summer time, it’s seemingly that they’ll goal gamers that can, age-wise, match alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, and the second youngest roster in NBA historical past. A number of names that may match that invoice are Jaxson Hayes, Naz Reid, Cam Reddish, and Myles Turner.
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