The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the few NBA teams with the assets to make a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and believe they can win the championship afterwards. Given their recent struggles, is the possibility of a Giannis blockbuster back on the table?
There was a point not too long ago that record books were being examined closely. How many could this year's Oklahoma City Thunder break? The Thunder came off of the title as hungry as ever, winning 24 of their first 25 games. They hadn't come close to losing to an Eastern Conference team and their one loss was at the last second. They had the best defense in leage history, the best team net rating, the best everything. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a dominant MVP favorite even though Nikola Jokic was putting up the greatest offensive season of all time.
Then came Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, the kyptonite to the Thunder's superpowers. The Spurs knocked off the Thunder three time in two weeks, including an NBA Cup knockdown and a Christmas Day domination. OKC was suddenly vulnerable, and other teams have pounced.
After starting the season 24-1, the Thunder are just 6-6 in their last 12 games. Their most recent loss was a 27-point blowout at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets -- a lottery-bound Eastern Conference squad led by a rookie shooting guard. The Thunder's perimeter defense should have eaten the Hornets alive, but instead the Hornets lit them up as their own offense fell apart.
30-7 is a good record, but it's certainly not otherworldly. The Spurs are just three losses back. The Detroit Pistons are just two losses behind out East. Suddenly the unstoppable juggernauts look vulnerable.
Could that open the door for the Thunder to make the ultimate win-now trade?
The Thunder could trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo might be on the market, he might not. It's a developing story, but one piece is clear and obvious: the Milwaukee Bucks are not going to trade their superstar for anything other than a massive return.
For most NBA teams, meeting the asking price for Antetokounmpo would leave them without a true title favorite that makes the cost worth it. A clear and obvious exception would be the Thunder, who are loaded with prospects and draft picks that they can trade without carving out their core.
The Thunder can offer the Bucks expiring money -- for good players they can flip or re-sign -- plus young players and premium draft picks. It's a dream scenario for Milwaukee, and the Thunder can do so and come out the other side as even more cemented title favorites.
Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort would form the base of the matching salary. Oklahoma City could add young prospects such as Nikola Topic or Thomas Sorber, neither of whom has made their debut with the team. The Thunder could put in Ajay Mitchell as a rising star, or use matching salary like Isaiah Joe or Kenrich Williams. Milwaukee wants picks? The Thunder have picks from the Clippers, Jazz and Rockets to offer in addition to their own -- and that's just this season.
Whatever package the Bucks require, Sam Presti can put together. Let's say the package is Hartenstein, Dort, Topic and Kenrich Williams, plus a beautiful pile of picks. The starting lineup the Thunder would roll out? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Chet Holmgren, with a bench made up of Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Jaylin Williams.
When the Thunder looked like the greatest team in NBA history, it didn't make sense to mess that up, even for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Now, however, it has become clear that this team is mortal. They can bleed. If the Thunder want to eliminate any hope for the rest of the league, they could use an unstoppable force like Antetokounmpo.
They have the assets. Now they have the motivation. And it will be a scary thing for the NBA if the Thunder level up once again.