The OKC Thunder are still the owners of the top record in the association at 38-11 and are viewed as the betting favorites to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the second year in a row.
However, amid a 25-game rough patch where they've just barely managed to stay above .500 (15-10), it seems they may now be in the market for some sort of in-season shakeup ahead of the February 5 trade deadline.
NBA insider Brian Windhorst revealed on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast that he's "actually heard the Oklahoma City Thunder's name in some trade chatter," and that they're "potentially looking at centers."
With the widespread injuries that have plagued this roster for the second consecutive campaign, particularly down in their frontcourt rotation, it shouldn't come as all that great of a surprise to hear Sam Presti and company are, at the very least, inquiring about bolstering their big man depth.
In fact, should these rumblings actually wind up being true, there's no reason why New Orleans Pelicans pivot Yves Missi shouldn't be a top target for the Thunder leading into next week's cut-off.
Yves Missi should be a serious target for Thunder at trade deadline
Historically speaking, the Thunder are not a team that tends to make many splashy moves. It's why fans can essentially write off the possibility of this asset-hoarding OKC squad pursuing superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo before February 5.
Because of this, in the event that Windhorst's findings are, in fact, valid and they are actually scouring the market for big man help, it's only logical to assume that gearing up for a smaller-scale deal would be Oklahoma City's most realistic course of action this trade season.
Missi is far from a household name and, per reports, NOLA is looking for a first-round pick in exchange for his services.
Despite his low-level, league-wide stock, the addition of the sophomore could actually prove to be quite beneficial for the Thunder both on the court and on the books.
Measuring in at 6-foot-11, 235 pounds, Missi has the build of a brute force big man who can provide strong screen-setting, rim-protecting, and rebound-gobbling contributions.
His All-Rookie Second Team-earning averages of 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks, along with his per 100 averages of 14.4 points, 14.4 rebounds (7.6 offensive), and 3.4 blocks here in year two, only strengthen the notion that the former first-rounder has proven capable of translating promise into production on these fronts.
On top of this, considering he just came into the league in June of 2024, the 21-year-old will be attached to a highly affordable, rookie-scale deal that will have him earning below 3.0 percent of the league tax through 2027-28.
With the fact that they'll be looking to duck below the second apron this coming offseason and, unfortunately, may have to part ways with beloved big Isaiah Hartenstein to do so, the idea of proactively bringing someone of Missi's ilk aboard could be the perfect move both for the Thunder, both in the short and long-term.