OKC Thunder should target Knicks NBA Draft pick in Chris Paul trade

The OKC Thunder should try to get a first-round pick from the Knicks in a Chris Paul trade

It’s no big secret that the OKC Thunder could look to trade Chris Paul this offseason. The veteran star point guard’s first season with the Thunder was nothing short of incredible, but current long-term plans for both the team and Paul could lead to an amicable parting of ways, just like we saw with head coach Billy Donovan already this offseason.

For Paul, this year may have just been a pit stop for his career, and a great one at that. He led the Thunder to the fifth seed in the competitive Western Conference when many experts pegged them as a lottery team. He averaged 17.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.

It’s no guarantee that the Thunder will trade him, though, and there’s certainly a case to be made for the team to run it back with him leading the charge next season as well. Between him, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steven Adams they have a nice core to begin with.

Paul’s value, though, with two years left at over $40 million dollars, will never be higher in the trade market, and for the Thunder, he’ll get increasingly more difficult to build around with a large portion of the salary cap going toward his contract.

It’s reasonable to expect that he’s one of the most likely stars to be traded. In a recent ranking of possible destinations, I ranked the Knicks as the best possible trade partner from the Thunder’s perspective.

OKC Thunder should target No. 8 in NBA Draft from Knicks in Chris Paul trade

One of the main assets the Thunder should target if they do strike a deal with the New York Knicks is their first-round pick this year which falls at No. 8.

Fans might be thinking that targeting a first-round draft pick in this year’s NBA Draft is an unwise strategic move for the Thunder. After all, this year’s draft class is one that most analysts are particularly lukewarm on, and could lead to the Thunder having to flip that first-round pick for less than they might like if they try to turn around and re-sell it or to take a prospect that might not pan out.

I’d contest that that’s more or less the challenge in any draft year with any draft pick, given that it’s such an inexact science. That extra lack of consensus this year after the first few picks makes for the possibility that this year, more than any other, top-5 quality players slip down the draft.

Take a look at how some of the big boards in August were valuing guys like Killian Hayes and James Wiseman, for instance:

There’s a chance Wiseman is available at No. 8, which very well could be a building block alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Even if he’s not available at eight, talent will be there for the taking. Tankathon has Deni Avdija going at eight. Auburn’s Isaac Okoro who has incredible two-way potential is almost universally available at eight overall in well-respected big boards.

In the absolute worst-case scenario, if the Thunder acquire and botch the No. 8 overall pick, they still have a boatload (16, 10 of them being first-round) of draft picks over the next five drafts to play around with, trade, etc.

This isn’t to say the Thunder should stop at No. 8 overall in deals for Paul. Adding in a Knicks player or a player from a third team would be good as well for some assurances in return for what they’d be giving up. But starting with the Knicks’ first-round pick this year would be a good way to kick things off, and perhaps a nice way to capitalize on the value of Chris Paul.

The eighth overall pick is no sure thing. No draft pick ever is. But if it’s the starting point for negotiations on a Chris Paul trade with the Knicks, it’s likely going to prove fruitful for them and is worth targeting.