OKC Thunder: 3 potential franchise building blocks to trade for

OKC Thunder trade target No. 3) Mo Bamba

While we’re on the subject of untapped potential from 2018 lottery picks…

For those of you who are familiar with our work — we love you guys –, you likely are already aware of the fact that we’re huge advocates for the third-year prospect that is Mo Bamba.

Selected sixth overall, the big man has unfortunately been trapped behind All-Star center Nikola Vucevic and talented youngsters Aaron Gordon & Jonathan Isaac in the frontcourt rotation for the Orlando Magic for basically the entirity of his career.

Unfortunately, this season has been no different, as he now sees a career low in playing time, logging just 8.7 minutes per game. That said, even with this minutes reduction his counting stats are not too different than they were last season when he logged 14.2 minutes, as he’s averaging 4.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and just shy of a block on 52 percent shooting from the field.

When converted to per-36 minute conversions, these numbers skyrocket to a whopping 20.1 points, 15.6 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game.

Now, while it’s hard to base one’s potential on these hypothetical conversions, simply looking a Bamba’s production when given more playing time would insinutate that there’s a tremendous talent just waiting to be set free from minutes restrictions.

This season alone, in games where he logs even over just 10 minutes, the center is posting 8.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game on 56 percent shooting from the field and 33 percent shooting from deep.

When taking it a step further, we find that the last time he actually played in substantial minutes (20-29 range) in more than just one garbage time outing was last season, where he averaged 10 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game on 52 percent shooting from the floor and an amazing 70 percent shooting from downtown.

With his amazing size of 7-0 with a 7-10 wingspan, floor spacing abilities, and lethal rim protecting abilities, we believe he’s certainly worth giving up one of their first-round picks from their illustrious treasure trove to attain.

All in all, we stand by our constant claims about how Mo Bamba has unbelievably intruiging upside, and we’d love to see him land with this rebuilding OKC Thunder team as the potential answer at the pivot moving forward.