Thunder must trade for offensive-minded Wizards big in light of Chet Holmgren injury

Sunday night, OKC Thunder fans were hit with some devastating news, as it was revealed that star center Chet Holmgren suffered a right iliac hip fracture and will miss at least 8-10 weeks. 

Holmgren was off to a spectacular sophomore season, making a strong case for an All-Star selection with his averages of 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. 

It has not even been a week since the center went down, but conversations have already sparked about how Oklahoma City should consider the idea of adding another big man to their depth chart.

As currently constructed, the Thunder will hopefully soon be getting some centers back, as Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein are about to be reevaluated in the coming weeks, but it never hurts to get some more depth as a club. 

Names like Bismack Biyombo and Javalle McGee are out there, but there is one player on a rebuilding team who looks like the perfect fit. 

Thunder must consider trading for for Wizards big Jonas Valanciunas

There might be no better fit for Oklahoma City as a backup center than Jonas Valanciunas, as every bit about the player fits seamlessly into what this young Thunder squad looks to do. 

The veteran is listed as a prime trade candidate once he is available to be traded on December 15th, as he would help so many teams looking to enter into the contender conversation. The Thunder, who are already in said conversation, would easily strengthen their claim if they traded for Valanciunas.

A constant concern surrounding the team last year was their lack of veteran experience, which they managed to address during the offseason by trading for guard Alex Caruso. However, even with his high-impact addition, the Thunder could still make moves for more seasoned players in this league. 

Valanciunas is in his 13th season, his first for the Washington Wizards, though is only playing 20.6 minutes per game and has started just twice this season. 

This could be a plus for OKC, as the 32-year old big is getting used to his role as a backup. 

He is also putting up solid stats in limited time, averaging 12.3 points on 59.2 percent shooting, along with 7.2 rebounds per game while predominantly coming off the pine.

Now, granted, he does not take many long-range shots -- something the Thunder are currently struggling with --, but he has proven he can make that shot throughout his professional tenure, as he's averaged a 34.8 percent clip from deep for his career.

Oklahoma City's already stacked offense could help create more open looks for shooting opportunities which, in turn, may help maximize his shot-making abilities.

The most important factor of Valaniunas' game, though, is his contract situation.

During the summer, he signed a three-year, $30 million deal with Washington, which makes it a very tradeable contract. This would allow Oklahoma City to construct an offer rather easily.

The only question that remains, of course, is what would the Thunder have to give up?

Of course, they would have to trade away a player to open up a roster spot and make the money work, which could easily lead to someone like Ousmane Dieng or Kenrich Williams being offloaded, as both boast contracts that are similar and would match up money-wise for the Wizards. 

The player being traded away depends on what the other team wants. They could take a young project talent to develop or an established veteran who can help mentor their already existing crop of young players. 

With their draft capital, slew of interesting young talents, and obvious need for more frontcourt help, it seems like the perfect move to better bolster their roster.