Player from Pacific Division OKC Thunder should target at NBA trade deadline
LA Clippers/Los Angeles Lakers:
Let’s group the LA teams together since neither will be a partner the Thunder can benefit from. Sam Presti already owns most of the Clippers’ future anyway. Going in to take their last viable draft pick and Mo Harkless would cost parting with a player of substance and neither is a logical move for Presti.
As for the Lakers, they have no draft picks or assets the Thunder would be desirous of. You could argue Kyle Kuzma is potentially an interesting asset to consider but the Lakers won’t part with him without landing a quality player and several draft picks. There are other forwards who are far more interesting to target that fits the Thunder identity better. In fact – there will be one in this division (keep reading).
Both teams have specific needs to address but little leverage to fulfill their needs. The Clippers need a better big man with the defensive abilities to deal with Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic specifically. Clearly, there is a dearth of ballhandlers and playmaking. The fact most nights Kawhi Leonard is thrown into that role has far more to do with the absence in this area than him being double-teamed. Again, cry me a river — you’ve got Kawhi and PG.
The Lakers have more needs than anyone wants to admit — playmakers, defenders, 3-point shooting, lack of bench depth (I could go on). But, they also possess two of the top five players in the NBA so save your tears.
Danny Green can hit from range, take on the hardest guard or wing defensive assignment and is an under-appreciated leadership voice. It’s likely those latter qualities aren’t being utilized to their full potential given the presence of LeBron — but they are extremely valuable and will come into play in the postseason.
Other than Kuzma he’s probably the only asset the Lakers have to shop but again, the Lakers will request more than he’s worth paying at this point (besides OKC has Chris Paul and Gallo for these needs anyway).
Plus fundamentally I have a problem sending these two teams specifically talent(s) or picks when both will get players in the buyout market to sign for a song that OKC would have to pay through the nose to get. The Thunder doesn’t need to make their life easier en route to their title run.