The OKC Thunder spent the majority of the season getting their younger players’ experience in an effort to tank for the top draft pick. Unfortunately, the basketball gods didn’t buy into that plan nor did they help push the Houston Rockets pick to fifth. As a result, the top pick OKC netted is sixth.
It’s like pouring salt into a wound as virtually every NBA Draft analyst has stated there are five definitive players in a tier separate from the rest of a very deep class.
While the prize quintet at the top of the draft ladder is appealing the true prize and best fit for the OKC Thunder is Cade Cunningham. The Oklahoma State freshman is projected to be a franchise-changing star.
However, there are analysts who believe that holding onto that draft capital isn’t necessarily the best use of those picks. Intentions noted packaging some picks to offer Troy Weaver could be the way to go and we noted it would likely take an asset sweetener.
B/R says SGA would need to be in OKC Thunder deal to obtain 2021 No. 1 pick
Writer Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report also suggested a similar deal where the OKC Thunder would swap picks however, the sweetener in their option is the highest price the team could offer.
Their deal would be to send Thunder cornerstone Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and swap the 6th pick in exchange for the top pick which Sam Presti would use to take Cunningham.
The actual trade reads as follows:
B/R opines the OKC Thunder would need to give up something major in order to interest the Pistons in dropping to sixth. Although Swartz notes all the draft capital OKC has it’s interesting he feels Sam Presti would need to give up their best talent in order to land another talent.
"Asking the Pistons to drop all the way to six in the draft puts them out of the range of getting Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs and possibly even Jonathan Kuminga, so there’s got to be a pretty hefty sweetener to go with this.Gilgeous-Alexander qualifies as such, as the third-year guard is coming off a season where he averaged 23.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists on 62.3 percent true shooting. About to turn 23, he and Killian Hayes would make for a supersized backcourt in Detroit. The Pistons could offer him a five-year, $168 million extension that would keep him under contract until 2026…Moving Gilgeous-Alexander is probably a last resort for the Thunder, but getting a potential superstar in Cunningham may be worth it."
This trade seems counterproductive – to trade away the one blue-chip established asset you have in the hopes a draft pick would become a better version of what you already have.
Seriously, other than the rarity of LeBron James or Anthony Davis how many of the top draft picks definitively were guaranteed to become future top five superstars?
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The last “sure thing” in the NBA Draft was Zion Williamson and while he is growing into a superstar he hasn’t entered that top 10 territory yet. Nor has he proven his presence can push his squad over the top or get them into the postseason. They weren’t even in the mix for the play-in tournament.
In truth, Ja Morant who was selected after Williamson has ascended faster specifically putting his Grizzlies (who have less talent on paper than the Pelicans) in the playoff mix in both of his two seasons in Memphis.
So while we understand Swartz’ thinking – there are other young talents on the Thunder and 38 draft picks he can select from in order to create a compelling deal Troy Weaver would find difficult to turn down. And no – that deal shouldn’t include SGA.
The only time his name should be under consideration would be for a proven asset with a higher ceiling and still young enough to be within the Thunder rebuilding timeline.