Through their first 17 games of action, the OKC Thunder have proven to be one of the biggest surprises in the NBA.
Despite being seen as a likely candidate to nab the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, Oklahoma City boasts a record of 8-9, constantly is revolving in and out of the playoff picture out west, and has attained impressive victories over the likes of the Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Phoenix Suns.
Because of their surprising start to the season, fans have begun to shift their attitude and, in turn, are now somewhat opposed to the phrase “fade for Cade”, in reference to a top NBA prospect in Cade Cunningham.
That said, even with all this, the year is still young and we don’t know how the rest of the campaign will unfold.
They could either strap in and vie for yet another postseason berth, or wind up punting on the season and sell some of their assets for more valuable ones to help them in the future.
Should this latter part happen, the Thunder have many pieces that contending teams could be interested in pursuing and, according to Bleacher Report, veteran big Mike Muscala could be an ideal fit for the defending champion, Los Angeles Lakers.
OKC Thunder big Mike Muscala could be a Los Angeles Lakers trade target
Now in his eighth season in the association, the 29-year-old is having himself quite a nice season, boasting averages of 9.3 points and three rebounds per game on 43 percent shooting from the floor and 37 percent shooting from deep.
Citing their need for depth and lack of cap space, writer Greg Swartz believes that Muscala’s skill set coupled with his salary of just $2.28 million in his final year under contract could be a move that could ultimately be beneficial for Los Angeles.
While I personally love what the center brings to this OKC team, and view him as one of the most underrated players on the roster, ultimately, should the price be right, he should not be viewed as “untouchable.”
What would you accept in such a hypothetical deal?
Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!