This trade season, fans and pundits alike are keeping a close eye on the OKC Thunder.
Considering their awe-inspiring collection of future draft capital and promising young prospects coupled with the fact that they are a favorite to win the 2025 NBA Finals and boast one of the lowest payrolls it should come as no surprise that they are being looked to as the most equipped and well-positioned team in the association to strike on a splashy transaction before February's deadline.
Such a status has undoubtedly taken center stage within the league's trade rumor mill, particularly concerning Nets sniper Cameron Johnson. Many believe Oklahoma City could be the ideal destination for the fan-favorite forward's services should Brooklyn offload him.
However, reports from Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer may be enough to tone down any excitement spreading across Thunder nation this trade season. In a recent news release from the NBA Insider, it was stressed that despite the "chatter" circulating through NBA circles, there has been "no credible evidence of Johnson-to-OKC talks."
Now, while some may be saddened and shocked to hear such an update, in actuality it should come as little surprise, especially when taking into account the preseason remarks OKC's own Sam Presti made about in-season trading.
Latest report echoes OKC Thunder GM's preseason stance on trades
During his annual preseason press conference back in late September, the storied executive was asked point blank whether he'd seriously consider making any trades throughout the campaign if he believed they would better position the Thunder to win.
While he alluded to the fact that he hopes never to write off the idea of partaking in such an act, he was quick to highlight the potential problems that generally come with making in-season deals, saying: "External solutions always bring with them a lot of risk."
Right from the jump, this should have encouraged Thunder fans to temper their expectations for seeing any notable talent pool shakeups take place during the 2024-25 campaign. They haven't been all that fond of doing so in the past, and the man literally in charge of the franchise publicly acknowledged a serious reluctance to do so.
Now, months later, amid the non-stop buzz and gossip about how Oklahoma City should look to take a swing on arguably this season's most highly sought-after trade target in Cam Johnson, his own sentiment is only further being strengthened by the in-the-know Fischer's sources.
Frankly, the only thing that should be shocking is that people might be shocked by this latest news drop.