This summer, the OKC Thunder went about and made themselves even more fearsome than even their 57-win, 2023-24 form.
Though they saw core foundation piece Josh Giddey depart for Chicago, GM Sam Presti managed to more than makeup for the loss with the additions of Alex Caruso (acquired in the Giddey exchange) and Isaiah Hartenstein.
As a result, Oklahoma City has even the most vocal skeptics believing in their standing as the biggest threat to the reigning champion Boston Celtics to win the 2025 NBA Finals.
However, in this league, even the top teams still generally can find a way to get better and bolster their talent pools in their quest for glory, and, in a recent piece by Bleacher Report, the Thunder have been urged to do exactly this by pursuing one particular player who would make their post-trade upside absolutely "absurd."
Pelicans' Trey Murphy III linked to Thunder as 'ambitious trade target'
Despite the fact that the publication itself has already anointed the Thunder with having the best starting lineup in the entire league heading into the 2024-25 season, writer Andy Bailey seems to believe there's still another level they could reach if the proper moves were to be made.
To him, pursuing a deal for the likes of New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III would make them arguably the most gifted two-way team in the association.
There's certainly some serious merit to this brand of sentiment.
Since entering the league as the 17 overall selection back in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 24-year-old has only managed to improve upon his all-around game with every passing season.
Last year proved to be the combo forward's best, as he dropped career highs in points (14.8), rebounds (6.0), assists (4.0), and steals (1.0) all while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 38.0 percent from distance on 7.8 attempts per game and boasting an impressive defensive rating of 114 along the way.
With his play style coupled with his enviable build of 6-foot-8, 206 pounds, Murphy is the type of multi-positional and highly versitile talent this Thunder team has shown to adore throughout the Presti era.
In New Orleans, the fourth-year pro has been hindered by what Bailey refers to as a rotational "logjam," as the organization has opted to use him in more of a secondary role while coming off the bench and backing primary forwards Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Herbert Jones.
While the Thunder, like the Pelicans, may already have their frontcourt seemingly accounted for with the likes of Jalen Williams (small forward), Chet Holmgren (power forward), and Isaiah Hartenstein (center), a simple shakeup could be sliding J-Dub up to the two spot and, in turn, placing Murphy in at the primary three position.
Not only would this leave their core five rotation long and lanky like they've shown an affinity for over the years, but, as Bailey noted, such a construction "would be loaded with scoring, shooting and defensive versatility."
Should the Thunder be able to pull off such an acquisition by shelling out, as worded in the piece, "a boatload of draft picks" in the direction of NOLA (his $5.2 million salary would be overwhelmingly easy to add to their books without them coughing up any significant players in exchange), it would be absolutely foolish of them to not pursue a trade for Pelicans wing Trey Murphy.