The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off one of the most underrated deals of last season in their trade for Jared McCain.
At the time, the move was somewhat surprising. Oklahoma City dealt what seemed like a relatively hefty haul— one first-round pick and a trio of second-round selections— for a guard that was largely out of the rotation with the Philadelphia 76ers. Their own backcourt was relatively full, and it didn't seem as though McCain would be able to carve out a role in the playoff rotation before the end of the season.
But in hindsight, the fit makes perfect sense. When Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins went cold, McCain stepped immediately in as a viable perimeter shooter, and he was one of the Thunder's most important pieces in their playoff run.
Even beyond that, though, Presti acquired McCain because he had two full seasons of team control left at a moderate annual value. That's the sort of roster-building that has made the Thunder so successful, and it's entirely possible we see another move of that type in 2026-27 as Oklahoma City attempts to reset their depth.
With that in mind, here are three potential buy-low options the Thunder should be keeping an eye on this season.
3 potential trade targets for the Thunder in 2026-27
Justin Champagnie, Washington Wizards
Champagnie is a target that's been floated by a number of commentators this offseason, and for good reason. We saw what his brother, Julian, could do with the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Justin profiles similarly— if he's able to hit his perimeter shots at a consistent rate.
Across 69 games with the Wizards last season, Champagnie averaged 8.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 31.9% from beyond the arc. He rebounds ridiculously well for a small forward, and he has some downhill driving upside as well. But he'll be buried in an emerging Washington rotation in 2026-27, and there's a chance the Thunder could get him into their development system at an exceedingly low cost.
Devin Carter, Atlanta Hawks
Carter is a more interesting piece than Champagnie, but he also has a wider range of outcomes for his development. Even at 6'2", he's a pesky perimeter defender, and he's more than capable of keeping his man in front of him in the right situations.
He's likely not a solution for any team long-term at point guard, though, and that's where the issue comes in. Carter doesn't have a history of shooting the 3-ball efficiently in his two NBA seasons or during his time in college, making his fit as a shooting guard even more uncertain.
But Carter will be hard-pressed to find minutes at the point in Atlanta this season as CJ McCollum, Kingston Flemings, and the newly-acquired Ryan Nembhard dominate the ball. He'll need to develop as an off-ball scorer to earn playing time with the Hawks, and perhaps that makes him an attractive target for Oklahoma City by the time we reach the trade deadline.
Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers
If you're sensing a theme of potential wing players who can (ideally) operate off-ball here, you're correct. Tyson is another one of those pieces, and he might be the most lofty target on this list.
He became an unexpectedly integral contributor for Cleveland last season after a quiet rookie campaign, spending a large portion of the season as a starter and averaging 13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while knocking down 44.6% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
With the loss of Dean Wade, both Tyson and Nae'Qwan Tomlin are likely destined for enhanced roles. But if either Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson is on the roster by the time the season starts, we could either see Tyson with a new squad or he could see his role rapidly reduced in Cleveland. It's not likely that a player of his caliber becomes available for Oklahoma City, but perhaps there's a McCain-esque swing to be made here if circumstances play out in the Thunder's favor.
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