OKC Thunder: 3 players to target using trade exception

With the trade exception, Sam Presti acquired in the Pelicans trade the OKC Thunder could utilize it to bolster their roster or for longer-term benefits.

OKC Thunder front office executive Sam Presti is collecting draft picks as if his life depends on it. That’s led to many in the league joking the bespeckled GM will end up making all the draft picks in the coming six or seven drafts. While Thunder Nation is watching with fascination over his deal-making prowess the reality is we might be missing some of the moves that could have an equally large effect on the future of the franchise.

Case in point, the deal to send Steven Adams to the Pelicans garnered draft picks and players who’ll likely never don a Thunder jersey but it also brought back a highly valuable tax player exception of $27.5 million. Up until Celtics master, Danny Ainge exacted a $27.9 million trade-exception it was the largest in NBA history.

The value of the trade exception is the Thunder can utilize it as a way to add a valuable asset to the club without needed to use up existing cap space.

That might not be an immediate move the Thunder make while they trim down their burgeoning roster with the copious assets added in the trades already conveyed. But, as the roster is trimmed to the 15 varsity players and two 2-way contracts it becomes a major trade chip.

With Presti seemingly jettisoning out veterans as quickly as they are added the thought might be why bother. And that is what makes the trade exception even more valuable for OKC. They can add a young talent or they can remove an unwanted contract who might be a valuable veteran who could be re-traded to a team needing one more player to improve their title hopes.

And the beauty of this massive $27.5 million trade exception is it could be utilized in more than one trade. While it’s true a trade exception can only be used on one player – the amount not used can factor into a second or third trade for an individual player as long as it’s used within a year of receipt.

With that T.I. dives into three players who the OKC Thunder should consider targeting with this massive $27.5 million tax player exception.

Player to target using trade exception No. 1) Lou Williams, LA Clippers

One of the most successful parts of the offense for the OKC Thunder last season was the three point guard lineup featuring Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dennis Schroder. That trio became part of the clutch time killers who wreaked havoc on the association.  However, with Sam Presti moving toward the ‘resiliency’ era (read: rebuild) both CP3 and Schroder were traded as part of the first moves the GM made in the transition.

The belief is SGA will return to more of a playmaker and shot creator this season but there are also hints Mark Daigneault is keen to jump fully into the positionless mode teams are embracing. Last season the Canadian played more off the ball and in truth may be at his best in the more traditional combo guard role where he vacillates between handling the ball and playing off-ball.

The immediate need on the new iteration of the Thunder will be adding playmakers and numerous team additions will be given the opportunity to succeed in this role. That said, Theo Maledon is a rookie, Ty Jerome never found minutes in the rotation with the Suns, and Frank Jackson will be afforded an opportunity to succeed but is more likely to add depth at the position via reserve role.

Which brings us to our first candidate – LA Clippers guard Lou Williams. He’s been in the news as a tangible option of late with Mo Dakhil of Bleacher Report citing him as a trade option and TI’s Mark Nilon diving into his trade potential as well.

In those scenarios, recently acquired George Hill would be the primary trade chip for Williams but what if he became the target for Presti via the trade exception?

A perennial Sixth Man candidate Lou Willams could fulfill a similar role to what Dennis Schroder performed last season. That would allow SGA the ability to have another playmaker and scorer on the court. The duo played together in LA in Gilgeous-Alexander’s rookie campaign so the familiarity is already developed.

While Williams checks the boxes when it comes to scoring and playmaking there is a major red flag associated with this move — he might be too good for what the Thunder desire to be this season.

That in itself might not be a bad thing or a reason not to make the deal. He is on an expiring contract of $8 million this season so there wouldn’t be the necessity of using the full TPE on him. More importantly, as much as George Hill is a quality veteran Sweet Lou would be a highly coveted trade chip for the elite teams at the trade deadline.

Presti could jettison him to a contender for — you guessed it more draft picks. Moreover, a team vying for the title, and also wants to be a part of the Giannis sweepstakes (that is if he doesn’t sign that supermax deal today or in the coming days as Jackie MacMullan suggests). And even if Antetokounmpo does sign the deal next offseason is jam-packed with valuable free agents so again, having a contract that comes off the books is compelling trade bait.