5 Thunder players most likely to be traded before the deadline

No. 4: Tre Mann

The 6'3" Tre Mann joined the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021 when the team selected him with the 18th pick in the first round. The former Florida Gators star has seen his role decrease in each of his three seasons, going from 22.8 minutes per game on a lottery-bound Thunder team as a rookie in 2021-22 to only playing 9.2 minutes per game in a mere 13 appearances.

The Thunder have outgrown Mann, drafting Cason Wallace to slot above him and then signing Vasilije Micic to play above him as well. That's not to be a known on Mann, who has shown flashes when he has seen the court; he's good, he's just not good enough to be a consistent rotation player on one of the best teams in the NBA.

Mann is on a bargain contract, with one more season of team control on his rookie deal before he will be due to be paid. He is an ideal sweetener in a deal, a young and inexpensive player that other teams can talk themselves into rehabillitating. They may just be right, too; Mann could be ready to take a step forward if afforded the opportunity.

It's unlikely that any team will come calling just for Mann, but very possible that he is included in a larger deal as an addition with positive value. If the Thunder went hunting for a mid-tier starter or fringe All-Star, for example, they could match salary, push in picks, and add Mann as a way to "round down" rather than adding a whole other first-round pick. If the Thunder do anything at the trade deadline, there is a great chance that Tre Mann is involved.