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.

Player to target using trade exception No. 2) Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers

With the OKC Thunder restructuring the roster, it equated to the trade of Steven Adams to the Pelcians (which created this tax exception) while backup center Nerlens Noel joined the New York Knicks in free agency. That’s your starting and backup center gone in one season.

Granted, the Thunder made the trade with the 76ers to add Al Horford but there are two issues with this addition. First, Horford prefers to play the power forward role instead of the center position. That creates its own set of dynamics for Mark Daigneault to address with Darius Bazley who is tapped to take over the starting power forward position.

But the other major factor is Horford while a quality vet doesn’t factor into the future of the restructuring OKC Thunder. He’s already 34-years old and that doesn’t come close to fitting the timeline for the Thunder core when they hit their prime.

For years there wasn’t a need to add a big man with Steven Adams patrolling the paint and delivering all the little things that never showed up on the stat sheet.

Myles Turner is a younger version of Adams who’ll turn 25 at the end of March. He’s signed through the 2022-23 season for an economical $18 million per year.

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The fit with Domantas Sabonis in Indiana hasn’t worked as well as Kevin Pritchard envisioned. Sabonis has blossomed into the player the Pacers want as part of their core while Turner became the disposable big man. Although his statistics took a dive this past season with his point total (12.1), rebounds (6.6) and perimeter efficiency (34.4 percent) regressing the question has to be asked how much of that was a factor of trying to force-feed Sabonis and Turner playing side by side?

In a lineup where Turner could return to playing in the paint his prowess at shot-blocking and glass cleaning should rebound (no pun intended). Furthermore, his 3-point efficiency likely took a step back because he was being parked on the perimeter potentially forcing up more 3-balls than what was coming within the natural flow of the offense.

Conversely, with the Thunder, Turner would have the benefit of playing with a group comprised of Al Horford – but long term with Darius Bazley and Aleksej Pokusevski if he develops as hoped. Neither Baz of Poku is expected to be players who’ll be paint beasts so Turner is a great fit.

Kevin Pritchard is notorious for his economical contracts and the Pacers never like to spend close to the luxury so this move makes sense for Indiana who could finally move on to find the right big to fit Domantas.

Player to target with trade exception No. 3) John Collins, Atlanta Hawks

As previously noted, adding a player of Myles Turner’s ilk could replace the role Adams held but another big man is simply more compelling…

John Collins is similar to Horford in that his preference is to play the power forward position but his style of play allows him to play either frontcourt position.

Then again, Daigneault spoke of positionless ball and the trend the league is moving toward in that regard numerous times in his media day presser. That means Collins might prefer the four but he could potentially slot in beside Bazley and down the road potentially with Bazley and Aleksej Pokusevski. Stop for a second and imagine that frontcourt – the sheer size and length, the cumulative skillsets of the trio in terms of playmaking, rebounding, and scoring.  Right? —  I’m salivating too.

There is a compelling argument to add Collins. First, he fits the timeline of the core group who’ll comprise the future era.  The other overwhelming reason is the Hawks added Danilo Gallinari and while Travis Schlenk stated he signed to come off the bench I’m not sure anyone is buying Atlanta paid Gallo $61.5 million to be a bench player.

More compelling evidence, the Hawks haven’t exactly been jumping to pay him the max extension he desires as per The Athletic scribe Chris Kirshner. Nor is the relationship between Collins and cornerstone Trae Young warm and fuzzy.  Rather, the Hawks seem to have made their choice to back Young implying Collins might be the odd man out.

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In truth, Collins fit in Atlanta hasn’t been ideal since Young likes to be ball-dominant and is the primary scorer.  Young demanded talent upgrades and Schlenk acquiesced with Gallo, Bogdan Bogdanovic as well as Clint Capella last season. In addition, Atlanta drafted big man Onyeka Okongwu who many predict will become the NBA’s next Bam Adebayo.

Factor in Collins’ 25-game suspension for illegal PED use to start the 2019-20 season and maybe it’s time for a change of venue and circumstance for the young star.

Would he thrive in a system that was less reliant on one primary scorer for example? Could his 40.1 percent perimeter efficiency on 3.6 attempts, 1.6 blocks with a double-double average of  21.6 points and 10.1 boards per game be a welcome addition for the Thunder? The answer is ABSOLUTELY.

The Hawks who seemingly are already leaning in the direction of moving Collins would also benefit. They entered this offseason as one of the few teams with available cap to outright sign free agents. But Schlenk made so many moves in short order it necessitated them walking back the Gallinari free agent signing and working out a sign and trade with the Thunder.

This coming offseason Collins will be a restricted free agent so a deal to bring the big man to OKC would mean the Thunder would retain the ability to match any deals in the offseason. Although the hope would be he’d embrace a deal to stay with this group as a part of the core. More importantly, his addition could expedite the Thunder rebuilding phase.