Word on the street is, the OKC Thunder may be looking to make a big splash this trade season.
According to a recent report by NBA Insider Jake Fischer, there have been rumblings from his inner circle and sources that Oklahoma City is interested in pursuing Nets forward Cameron Johnson.
Already viewed as a hot commodity on this year's trade block, with Sam Vecenie of The Athletic going as far as to rank him as the third-best player on the market, the act of any team acquiring the 28-year-old sniper will require quite a few valuable and intriguing assets heading out to Brooklyn in such an exchange.
Fortunately, the Thunder have a leg up over virtually any other team when it comes to a pursuit for Johnson, as they possess one of the most enviable assortments of draft capital a franchise could ever hope for.
Of course, along with picks, active players will almost certainly need to be included in an outbound deal for purposes of salary-matching, further piquing the interest of the Nets, and, simply, to open up roster space for the forward's arrival.
As for who the most likely candidates are to be moved in a hypothetical trade for Cameron Johnson, there are three names, in particular, that should be on everyone's radar.
Thunder players most likely to be moved in Cameron Johnson trade
Ousmane Dieng
Three years in, the Ousmane Dieng experiment has not panned out as Sam Presti and company may have hoped.
Selected 11 overall back in the 2022 NBA Draft, the hope for the raw and lengthy Frenchman was that he could provide tweener big versatility with his size (6-foot-10) and develop a trusty jumper to develop into a reliable two-way frontcourt contributor.
Unfortunately, the youngster has yet to put together these intangibles for the Thunder, as he boasts mere averages of 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists 27.5 percent shooting from deep in 88 career games.
What's interesting, however, is that he's certainly shown flashes of serious potential on the varsity team, particularly this season while playing a larger role with guys like Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams sidelined, and has performed extremely well with their G League affiliate in the OKC Blue, guiding them to a 2023-24 title behind his averages of 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.
For a rebuilding team like the Nets, adding a 21-year-old lottery pick still on his rookie deal should always be an entertaining idea. Perhaps with a larger role and longer leash, Dieng could find himself joining the rather extensive list of departed Thunder players who have gone on to breakout with other clubs.
Nikola Topic
Like Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic is a recently selected lottery pick who, at just 19 years old, possesses quite a ton of upside and potential longevity.
Unlike Dieng, however, the rookie has yet to show what he may be capable of at the NBA level as he's yet to suit up for a lick of action due to recovery from a torn ACL.
Interestingly enough, this could make him even more enticing for a team like the Nets to take a swing on.
The mystery of Topic is enigmatic.
Despite losing a full season of his career due to injury, before his knee ailment, there was an argument to be made that Topic could have legitimately vied for the number one overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft.
With his combination of dime-dropping and ball-handling skills that resemble a traditional floor general and a 6-foot-6 frame that projects as a modern-day wing, the Serbian-born baller boasts a brand of versatility that teams traditionally covet.
Adding him into the mix would almost certainly help tip the needle for a transaction even further in OKC's favor.
Kenrich Williams
Kenrich Williams would likely not be the first name Brooklyn would look to attain in a potential Cameron Johnson trade with the Thunder, but his addition into an outbound package would essentially be needed simply to help make the finances more manageable.
The Nets forward is currently playing through the second season under a four-year, $94.5 million deal that's paying him $22.5 million in 2024-25 alone.
Considering Oklahoma City sports the seventh-lowest payroll in the association, finding straight-up salary matches is going to be nearly impossible in a potential trade. Because of this, Presti and co. will likely need to round up some of the more lucrative, non-core player deals they have on the roster.
With the fact that he's the oldest player on the team at 30, is averaging 12.8 minutes per game, plays a position that coach Mark Daigneault has an abundance of players at, and is making $6.6 million this season and $7.1 million next year, it has become a popular belief that Kenny Hustle is one of the most likely Thunder players to be dealt this trade season.
Though his departure would easily have the biggest impact on the team compared to the other names listed, in a Cameron Johnson exchange Kenrich Williams' involvement would be crucial to making it a reality.