The OKC Thunder have been linked to two hypothetical trades proposed by Bleacher Report, and we’re here today to analyze whether they should partake.
Now that the preseason is officially over for the OKC Thunder, they can now focus their attention on the upcoming regular season, with one eye set on the present and the other zeroed in on the future.
While the franchise does have several talented pieces on the roster such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley, Luguentz Dort, George Hill, and Al Horford — to name a few –, ultimately fans are expecting a bottom-tier finish come year’s end, with the hope of nabbing a top-3 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
However, with said talent, one could argue that the team might be too good as currently constructed to realistically vie for the No. 1 spot in next year’s draft, thus going against the front office’s plan that is perceived to be set in place.
A good way to increase their chances of securing their desired selection would be to continue their recent trend of trading away current assets, thus diminishing the talent pool on the roster and, in turn, bettering the odds of a lowly season.
Recently, Bleacher Report came out with an article discussing trades each contending team could make to better position themselves for a run at glory this season and, sure enough, we saw the OKC Thunder linked to two specific deals with both the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers.
With this, it sparked the drive for us at Thunderous Intentions to push out yet another installment of one of our favorite series we call “Pass or Pursue”, where we discuss concocted trades and determine whether it would be wise for the franchise to execute them or if they should simply stand pat.
So, without further adieu, let’s get started: