The OKC Thunder elected to trade for Davis Bertans from the Dallas Mavericks on Draft night back in June to move up two spots in the 2023 NBA Draft and grab Kentucky guard Cason Wallace. It was a move that showed Sam Presti’s commitment to landing one of his top prospects and helping alleviate salary cap issues for the Dallas Mavericks, leading to them having a wildly successful offseason to improve their team alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
As the calendar turns to September, we are less than a month away from OKC Thunder training camp. As the dust settles on the Thunder offseason, it is time to ask: What is the plan for Davis Bertans in Bricktown?
The OKC Thunder have an interesting decision to make with big man Davis Bertans; Bleacher Report pitches a trade package.
Davis Bertans is yet another 2023 FIBA World Cup representative, as the OKC Thunder have been one of the most decorated teams at the tournament. Bertans has powered Latvia to a stunning run in the tournament but continues to play the role NBA fans know him for. The only real difference is his attention to detail on the defensive end in these must-win tilts.
To this point in his career, Davis Bertans has played for three teams with similar results on each of them. He is performing as a solid NBA contributor who offers brilliant floor spacing thanks to his deep three-point shooting ability, but not much more.
What is his role with the OKC Thunder? Why is this a more challenging task to answer than many realize? Let’s dive into it.
The many hurdles with Davis Bertans’ Bricktown playing time
Still, with such a valuable shooting skillset, it netted Davis Bertans a massive contract that made him an unwanted commodity in Dallas who paid to get off of the remainder of his deal. While Bertans is owed 17 million dollars this season (the second-highest mark on the Thunder) and is projected to earn 15 million dollars in the 2024-25 season, there is a saving grace for Oklahoma City.
If Davis Bertans plays under 75 percent of the Thunder’s games this year, the team can waive him for just a five-million-dollar cap hit at the end of the season. It is safe to say the Bricktown boys will not let Bertans play over 75 percent of their contests this season.
Which begins the tricky conversation around the Latvian sharpshooter. He costs too much money to cut out right; one would assume he can not be a fixture of Mark Daigneault’s rotation due to his contract limitations, and he does not seem to have the attitude to tolerate a Mike Muscala-like role that features periodic did not play coaches decision stretches.
Unless Bertans is willing to accept that spotty role, OKC is left with keeping him home or moving on. That spotty role would pay dividends for the Thunder organization to make them better and help knock off certain matchups, but does it gain Bertans anything?
The only thing it could do is improve Davis Bertans image for other contenders so that they can bring him in as a low-minute weapon that knocks down triples in a timely matter that can change the course of games. Is that enough to convince Bertans to buy in? The OKC Thunder have swayed a buy-in from more challenging situations, which is within the realm of possibility.
Even with a buy-in factor from Davis Bertans, to what end? While shipping him out at the deadline is an option, is there a team that would be willing to play him over that 75 percent of games mark? That seems unlikely.
Davis Bertans’ floor spacing, thanks to his three-point shooting, presenting a drive and kick threat, pick-and-pop option, and the pressure he puts on the rim as a roller shooting 75 percent at the cup, makes him a compelling piece for Mark Daigneault’s offense.
Bertans shot 38 percent on catch-and-shoot looks, 48 percent on spot-up chances, and 44 percent coming off screens. He is a career 39 percent three-point shooter, hitting that mark a season ago. While his defense leaves plenty to be desired, he could provide value for the OKC Thunder.
The only thing holding him back is the contract stipulations. From the long-term future perspective, it makes more sense for the Thunder to be cautious with his playing time for the sake of his cap hit than improving their 14th-man spot in the rotation.
Could the OKC Thunder trade Davis Bertans?
When the topic of trading Davis Bertans comes up, it is often discussed in the context of Bleacher Report’s latest trade proposal, using his massive salary to net the Oklahoma City Thunder a star NBA player.
Bleacher Report suggests that the Thunder should package Bertans, Josh Giddey, Tre Mann, and two first-round picks to the Pelicans to grab Brandon Ingram from New Orleans.
While that is an understandable thought process, two picks and Josh Giddey are what the Pelicans gain for Brandon Ingram as Tre Mann teeters on the roster bubble, and a 30-year-old Bertans is just a salary filler. That would also lock the Thunder into Ingram’s contract that runs through the 2024-25 season, owing him 33.8 million this season and 36.9 million the following season.
On top of the interesting fit for Ingram, mudding up the Thunder’s cap sheet and losing a piece of their core, Oklahoma City would also have no guarantee Ingram would re-sign in Bricktown in the Summer of 2025 as a completely unrestricted free agent.
A more realistic trade that involves Davis Bertans would be paying a few of their million second-round picks (only a hint of hyperbole) to move on from Bertans’ contract and open up a roster spot on an overcrowded team.
Potentially incentivizing a team that is not a threat to contend for the postseason with draft compensation to clear up this entire saga is part of why you compile all of those future draft selections.