The Oklahoma City Thunder are an up-and-coming team in the NBA. Thanks to a promising core filled with talent and youth, it's only about time before the Thunder can convince the rest of the league that they are worthy champions. Last season, the Thunder took over the NBA by taking the top seed in the Western Conference with a 57-25 win-loss record.
Entering the playoffs with homecourt advantage, the Thunder got through the first round against the New Orleans Pelicans via a sweep. However, they were eliminated by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the second round.
During the offseason, the Thunder did make some interesting moves. They let go of one of their rising stars in Josh Giddey in return for Alex Caruso, who was a crucial piece in the Lakers' 2020 NBA championship squad. But just by looking at the roster composition, the Thunder are basically running it back. Oklahoma should make another deep run in the playoffs, but anyone can tell that the roster still has some room for improvement in order to seal their championship pursuit. For this piece, let's take a look at three Thunder trade candidates at start of 2024-25 season.
Cason Wallace
Despite stepping up in the playoffs, Cason Wallace is still the best trade asset for the Thunder. Wallace's two-way play was on full display last season, even if he was just a rookie. Given that he possess plenty of youth, he should be an allure for any playoff contender. While Wallace would be a huge loss for the Thunder, the team does have a surplus of players that play his style.
The Thunder already have Lu Dort, who has proven to be an undrafted diamond in the rough. Dort already has plenty of playoff experience under his belt, while defending some of the best wing players in the league. And during the offseason, the Thunder traded away Josh Giddey in order to attain the services of NBA champion Alex Caruso.
As a result, the Thunder's roster composition makes a young talent like Wallace sort of expendable. Finding a new home for Wallace might be an option for the up-and-coming Thunder, especially if the team is potentially one superstar away from increasing their championship chances. Given that the Thunder already have a promising core, a superstar could be the missing piece to the puzzle. And in order to strike a deal, Wallace should be the top player to spice up any negotiation.
Nikola Topic
Initially expected to be a lottery pick, an ACL injury would make Nikola Topic fall off the 2024 NBA Draft. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Serbian prospect, the Thunder did take a chance on him by selecting him in the first round with the 12th overall pick. While Topic has showed tremendous upside when healthy, at the end of the day, the Thunder are still taking a gamble on their first round pick.
Once Topic heals from injury, it remains to be seen whether the two time ABA league Champion can fully adjust to the NBA style of play. But more importantly, his basketball shape coming from a torn ACL should be a huge question mark. The Thunder do have the option to be patient with their first round draft pick. However, if they want to maximize their current roster, trading away Topic for an additional championship piece could be a game changer for the Thunder.
With the influx of European stars, Topic should still be an enticing prospect for various teams who want to get younger. In return, the Thunder could get a veteran or throw him in the mix in order to land a superstar in Oklahoma.
Kenrich Williams
While he has showed flashes in limited minutes, Kenrich Williams' NBA career has been plagued by major injuries. Nonetheless, he continues to be a remarkable presence in the locker room which should convince the Thunder to keep him around. Although Williams is still a valuable player for the Thunder, his inability to stay healthy also makes him an expendable player in their roster.
Williams would prove to be enticing for teams who are looking to add more depth at the forward position. In fact, during the Thunder's rebuilding stage, Williams was on the radar of some teams. However, the Thunder opted to stick with Williams, proving to be beneficial as he was one of the figures that shaped the team's current winning culture.
There's no question that Williams has been key to the Thunder's rise. But if the Thunder can get someone who can contribute as a locker room presence and on the court, it's a no-brainer for the Thunder if they could land that sort of talent in return for Williams.
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