It didn't take long after the bombshell report of Michael Malone's ouster in Denver for Nikola Jokic trade chatter to start circulating. Considering the treasure trove of assets in their possession, it should come as no surprise that the OKC Thunder are already being linked as a possible destination in a hypothetical blockbuster scenario.
During a recent episode of Ticket and The Truth, Hall of Famer Paul Pierce proposed the idea of the superstar center ending up in Oklahoma City, saying: "They got the assets. They can propose something that nobody else can propose."
While the type of package it would likely take for the Nuggets to even remotely consider trading their franchise cornerstone is truly anyone's guess at this point, it's safe to assume that it would require a king's ransom for a team to pique their interest.
To Pierce, the Thunder specifically may be able to arouse intrigue from Denver by constructing a deal around the likes of Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.
Thunder trade idea swaps Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams for Nikola Jokic
"I'm willing to give up Chet... some first-round draft picks, and maybe, like, one more of them good pieces over there," Pierce said. "Jalen Williams, I might have to give him up."
Despite the sheer entertainment aspect of it all, the idea of the Thunder striking on a trade for Nikola Jokic should be viewed as highly unlikely for a multitude of reasons.
Currently, OKC is the number one team, not just in the Western Conference, but in the entire league.
With a record of 66-14, they are slated to participate in their second-straight playoff run and will have home-court advantage through the NBA Finals if they were to make it that far.
As currently constructed, they are the odds-on favorite to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy, and, as Pierce even acknowledged, they're set up to contend "for the next ten years."
Outside of the fact that they have the MVP frontrunner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, leading the charge, a big reason why they are viewed in such a light is due to their top-notch talent meshed with such youth.
With an average age of 24.4 years, Oklahoma City has one of the youngest rosters in the association. Holmgren and Williams, specifically, are two of the top-billed players on said roster, and both are still attached to rookie-scale deals while clocking in under the age of 25 at 22 and 23, respectively.
Why, then, would the Thunder optionally part ways with either, let alone both of these players if their present and future is as promising as people already believe it to be?
Sure, teaming Jokic up with SGA could have the potential to become one of the most lethal one-two punches the game has ever seen, but is it really worth giving up an established All-Star and a budding stud big who have yet to even enter into their primes?
We're talking about this Thunder team already being considered on the cusp of becoming one of the NBA's next great dynasties!
Coughing up two of the primary reasons for this enviable status, at least at this point in time, doesn't seem to be all that logical of a move.
If people want to dream about a hypothetical Nikola Jokic-to-Thunder trade, perhaps it would be best to dream big and discuss ways they can create a big four with him, Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren.
Otherwise, the focus when discussing this current nucleus should be solely on the idea of potentially winning their first of hopefully many championships in 2025.