The Oklahoma City Thunder look primed to succeed.
On the back of a 34-15 record and a leading superstar who should finish first or second in MVP voting, the young upstart team has more than taken off this season, blasting away expectations of a plucky dark horse contender and firmly establishing themselves as a team belonging in the championship bubble.
With some statement wins against the Timberwolves and Nuggets in January, the Thunder have made it clear that they’re certainly capable of hanging with the bigs. But with an ample war chest of draft picks, GM Sam Presti should have the green light to make the necessary adjustments to prime this team for a long playoff run.
As it stands, the Thunder play small, with Chet Holmgren and his slender frame being the only seven-footer to crack the rotation. Bigger teams could still pose a serious threat over a seven-game series.
However, their name has yet to really pop up in the rumour mill, with only Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith having been linked to them as of late. Finney-Smith would be a solid fit, giving them another versatile perimeter defender with the ability to guard 1-4 while knocking down 38 per cent of his looks from deep.
According to the report from the New York Post, the Nets rejected an offer of two first-rounders from the Thunder, as the wing has also been a subject of interest for the Mavericks, Bucks, Suns and Kings.
“They are deep, now the one thing they could use is size,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on the Kenny Beecham Podcast on Thursday. “I have heard that they are a team that will at least look into a veteran big-man play. Now, what that is? We will see.”
Around the Association, names that have popped up that could fit the bill are guys like Andre Drummond (Chicago Bulls), Wendell Carter Jr. (Orlando Magic), Daniel Gafford (Washington Wizards) or Canadian Kelly Olynyk (Utah Jazz), who already has experience playing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from their time on the national team.
Though they have a stacked war chest, with 37 picks between now and 2030, Charania reported that they’re unlikely to send a team dangling a superstar an offer they can’t refuse.
“I think everyone thinks the Thunder win the market to use all their draft picks to go get a high-name, high-end player,” Charania said. “I don’t think the Thunder’s trade deadline priority is getting a top-tier player. I think they want to see this core.”
The Thunder have undeniably taken a massive leap this year and belong amongst the contenders. However, if they stick with the group they’ve got past the deadline and don’t spend some of that hoarded draft capital, would it be a mistake?
The time is now for Oklahoma City and surely GM Sam Presti realizes that as well. It’s just a question of how big a move he’s willing to make to help this team reach yet another level this season.
A Bridges too far
More and more big names are becoming unavailable as we draw closer to the deadline with Brooklyn Nets two-way star Mikal Bridges the latest player to join that list.
Though it was never a sure thing that the wing would be dealt — as the Nets seemed comfortable trying to build around him — his name has been popping up in rumours of late with reports of teams offering packages including multiple first-round picks for his services.
However, the Nets have made it clear that he isn’t available for trade, despite the team teetering at the edge of the play-in with a 20-28 record and appearing ready to get worse from here on out with guys like Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale reportedly on the trading block.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Kelly Iko, the Houston Rockets were one of those teams to make a call and could have offered to give the Nets back the picks they dealt in the deal that sent James Harden to Brooklyn back in 2021.
A contender blooming in the Garden
The Knicks are better than ever.
Following the acquisition of OG Anunoby, they’ve soared to a 15-3 record, the most wins in the Association since Dec. 30.
They got two of their guys to the All-Star Game in Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle and are the No. 1 team in net rating over the last ten games, showcasing a balanced two-way approach on a night-by-night basis.
However, it’s hard to not question whether it’s enough to go against the juggernauts in the East in the Celtics and Bucks. Jalen Brunson has proven he can go toe-to-toe with superstars and be the best player on the court at times, but does the sheer talent of those other teams just outclass the Knicks?
They’re likely a piece away from being in the top echelon in the East, and with how much the team has popped up in rumours of late, they likely view themselves in that light as well.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Knicks have been connected to guys like Bruce Brown (Toronto Raptors), Malcolm Brogdon (Portland Trail Blazers), and a potential reunion with Alec Burks (Detroit Pistons), among others.
Perhaps the most interesting link is with the Utah Jazz and their interest in guard Jordan Clarkson and versatile forward Kelly Olynyk. The Jazz have had serious interest in Quentin Grimes since his name was floated during the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes in the summer of 2022.
With the Knicks looking for a backup point guard after dealing away Immanuel Quickly in the Anunoby trade, bringing in a former Sixth-Man of the Year in Clarkson could remedy that and allow the 31-year-old to play in a lesser role than what he was tasked with in Utah.
Furthermore, Scotto mentions that Grimes had also been dangled in potential deals with Atlanta for Dejounte Murray or second-year guard AJ Griffin, who has fallen out of the Hawks’ rotation after a solid rookie season.
Fast Breaks
– The LeBron James rumours were fun while they lasted — unlikely as they were. Trading the superstar and his $47-million contract this season was always going to be an improbability, but the Knicks were a team that could’ve made it happen with Julius Randle, filler and draft compensation. What a world we could be living in.
– The Washington Wizards remain one of the more intriguing teams ahead of the deadline, with multiple pieces that could play a serious role on contending teams like Tyus Jones, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford and Landry Shamet. According to Yahoo’s Jake Fischer, the Wizards could be talked into giving up Jones for a handful of second-round picks rather than the first-round premium they were asking for earlier. Fischer also said in his report that Dallas and Sacramento are the two teams he’s hearing in connection with Kuzma, whose asking price remains at multiple first-round picks.
– With Steven Adams out the door in Memphis, could the Grizzlies be looking to make more moves in a weird rebuilding year? According to Fischer, the Lakers and Bucks could be interested in Marcus Smart’s services after the former Defensive Player of the Year was dealt to them in the off-season. However, the Grizzlies have reportedly shut down talks surrounding the guard for now.
– Zach LaVine’s trade market may also be done for the year after the wing decided to undergo season-ending foot surgery on Saturday. The Bulls announced that he will be sidelined for 4-6 months. Sam Smith of bulls.com wrote that LaVine is unlikely to be dealt even during the summer as he recovers from this injury.
