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The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of an impressive rebuild. Sam Presti has gathered enough draft picks to make any franchise green with envy. Combine that with solid building piece Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is blossoming into a star in this league. The Thunder are 17-24 with a -6.2 net rating. They are three games out of the 10th seed and five out of the 8th seed. The Thunder also have a collection of tradable veterans and trade exceptions with which to make some deals. They would be wise to continue gathering assets and building towards the future.
Trade 1
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: George Hill
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Mike Scott, Tony Bradley, a 2023 Second Round Pick Most Favorable of Atlanta, Charlotte, or Brooklyn, and a 2026 Second Round Pick
George Hill is a player with value across the league and should have a couple of suitors interested in him. However, the team that makes the most sense for him to go to is the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers have a clear motivation to trade for Hill as they are desperately in need of creating off the dribble and shooting. Hill provides both of those things while being on a reasonable contract. The return for the Thunder is interesting here because of the value that each of those second-round picks presents. Coupled with Tony Bradley being an interesting young player for Mike Daigneault and his coaching staff to develop.
Trade 2
Golden State Warriors Receive: Al Horford
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Chicago Bulls Receive: Andrew Wiggins
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Otto Porter Jr., Christiano Felicio, and a 2022 Second Round Pick (via Warriors)
Al Horford is a player who has value on the floor, but his contract is a mess and any team looking to trade for him would need to have a comparable filler salary. The Warriors make sense because they have Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andrew Wiggins who could act as filler. However, the Thunder likely wouldn't want to pay Wiggins over the next 3 years. So insert a third team into the trade, who might be willing to take on Wiggins. Enter the Chicago Bulls. They have the cap space to hold onto him without entering the tax over the next couple years and matching salary in Christiano Felicio and Otto Porter Jr.
Horford helps the Warriors defensively and lets them run their offense similarly for 48 minutes because he can fill a Draymond-type role on that backend. Wiggins would be a fun fit on the Bulls, adding to their athleticism and mid-range scoring ability. The Thunder gain cap space and get to see if Otto Porter Jr. is a fit for their team.
Trade 3
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Mike Muscala and Kenrich Williams
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: James Johnson, a 2021 Second Round Pick, and a 2025 Second Round Pick
This is a smaller deal but it's the type that Sam Presti loves to do. This deal saves the Mavericks around $9 million dollars that they can use on buyout free agents or help facilitate a bigger trade. Muscala is a solid backup big who can fill in for Porzingis when he's sitting. Kenrich can do exactly what Johnson does but as a more athletic defender. 2 second-round picks are solid compensation for the Thunder taking on Johnson's money as well as giving up solid contributors.
