Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder see the New Orleans Pelicans offer a plethora of options in an assortment of roles.
Brandon Ingram will make many Oklahoma City Thunder fan’s eyes light up, but I wonder if he would end up in Bricktown for various reasons. But Ingram is one of many options for Sam Presti to look into. Trey Murphy III offers a seamless fit to the Thunder that could complete this young core, Naji Marshall presents a fine role player to chase after, and there has been constant drama surrounding Zion Williamson since he landed in New Orleans.
Of all these options, Trey Murphy III is my favorite if I could just hand-pick a player from the Pelicans roster, but in all likelihood, to make a run at this season, Naji Marshall is a bit enticing.
ESPN Sources: Pelicans G/F Trey Murphy III underwent surgery to repair a slightly torn left meniscus and is expected to miss 10-to-12 weeks. That timeline could have him back in mid-November. https://t.co/C3y96Nrx9e
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 7, 2023
At 25 years old, the 6’7 forward played in 77 games, averaging nine points, three rebounds, and two assists to go along with a stock per game (Steal plus blocks). In over 50 isolation attempts defensively, Synergy grades Marshall as a “very good” defender with a solid ability to switch and fight through screens. He fits right in with Mark Daigneault’s squad.
However, the difficult part with the New Orleans Pelicans as a trade partner is finding the balance. Brandon Ingram is lofty of a goal, and Naji Marshall has a redundant skill set that does not move the needle for the OKC Thunder.
One thing is for sure: writing this article has me fixated on how Trey Murphy III would complement this OKC Thunder squad and enhance the team’s core. While I do not think the Pelicans would easily part with Murphy III, he is our swing-for-the-fence target of this article.