OKC Thunder December trade deadline series part 4 – Omri Casspi

Fit

Casspi is a perfect fit in Oklahoma City’s system given his ability to space the floor. His ability to play both forward spots provides OKC with the necessary flexibility to play small without sacrificing outside shooting.

What makes the Israeli interesting is his willingness to put the ball on the floor. Since shifting to Memphis, Casspi is making plays inside and even attacking the rim from the perimeter.

The forward won’t be required to do this on a nightly basis but knowing he has the ability to attack the hoop gives an added dimension to his offensive game.

Trade

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Memphis sit seventh in the league in 3-point percentage (36.5) and Casspi is a strong contributor  toward the Grizzlies 3-point success (37.5 this season). While he is on a veteran minimum contract, his contributions are currently exceeding his contract thus it remains unlikely he is moved.

Should the Grizzlies look to move him, they’ll be seeking a young wing in return. Aside from the usual trade candidates (Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot or Abdel Nader), all OKC wings are off-limits.

Final Thought

Unless Memphis regress tremendously or they feel like moving him, acquiring Casspi seems unlikely. While he is 30 years-old, Casspi offers exactly what OKC are craving – a dual forward who can hit reliably from the perimeter.

With Patrick Patterson and Alex Abrines struggling to hit anything from the outside, Casspi appears to be an immediate upgrade.