If the 2022-23 NBA season wasn't enough to convince you that the Oklahoma City Thunder birthed a new superstar for the NBA, then his all-world performance for Canada during the 2023 FIBA World Cup should. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is officially a superstar, ladies and gentlemen. And there's nothing anyone can do about it. Nobody was able to throughout the FIBA World Cup, where the Thunder's All-NBA First Team guard led Canada to a historic bronze medal, the country's first podium finish in international basketball.
Considering the supporting cast SGA has, the Thunder have a chance to make real noise in the Western Conference this upcoming 2023-24 season. Josh Giddey broke through during the FIBA World Cup as well and emerged as a star for the Australian national team. Chet Holmgren is finally healthy and showed plenty of promise in Summer League. Jalen Williams had a strong rookie season that earned him a spot in the All-Rookie First Team. Those are just some of the promising pieces the Thunder have surrounding Gilgeous-Alexander.
OKC is poised to take the next step into becoming a playoff team next season. Considering the amount of assets Sam Presti still has stocked in his cupboard, Oklahoma City could swing for the fences and trade for a star player to pair with SGA and join the Thunder's promising young core. With that, here are two way-too-early trades the Thunder must pull off in the 2023-24 NBA season.
Oklahoma City Thunder receive: Pascal Siakam
Toronto Raptors receive: Lu Dort, Davis Bertans, and Utah's 2024 first round pick, Miami's 2025 first round pick, 2026 first round pick
Toronto fans have been begging to see Pascal Siakam and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the same team. Bring the Canadian home, they say. Well, they finally get their wish with this trade, but just not on their beloved Raptors.
Unfortunately for Toronto, it might be time to part ways with the few remaining pieces of the 2019 NBA Championship team. Though Siakam has expressed a desire to stick around north of the border, the departures of Fred VanVleet and Nick Nurse has signified the ushering of a new era for the Raptors.
With that, the Thunder should swoop in and acquire the two time All-Star and pair him with Gilgeous-Alexander. Siakam would be a perfect veteran piece for a young Oklahoma City team that is looking to break through and make the postseason.
It will entail the Thunder trading a fan favorite in Lu Dort, Davis Bertans, and three valuable first round picks to acquire the All-NBA forward. But it will be worth it.
Siakam just had the best individual campaign of his career trying to drag an underperforming Raptors to the play-in tournament. On the season, he averaged a career-best 24.2 points and 5.8 assists to go along with 7.8 rebounds a night.
As good as he is, Siakam isn't really built to be the No. 1 option on a title team. But we did see in 2019 how much he thrived playing alongside a bonafide superstar (Kawhi Leonard). He will get to play the same role in OKC with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Siakam is also going to be a nightmare defensively manning the paint alongside Chet Holmgren. With Holmgren's ability to protect the rim and Siakam's tools as a terrific help defender, opposing players should think twice about bringing the ball in the paint against OKC.
Oklahoma City Thunder receive: Kelly Olynyk
Utah Jazz receive: Victor Oladipo, five second round picks
Why not unite Kelly Olynyk with his Team Canada buddy Shai-Gilgeous Alexander? This deal doesn't really bring a game-changer like Siakam to OKC, but the team does add a veteran big man who can space the floor and open up the lanes for SGA to work his magic inside the paint, where he operates best.
This trade isn't mutually exclusive with the previous deal, either, so Oklahoma City could actually pull both of them off if they wanted to. With this trade, they only need to send out Victor Oladipo along with five second round picks to acquire Olynyk.
Olynyk had a resurgent campaign with the Jazz, starting in all of his 68 appearances during the 2022-23 season. For the year, the Toronto, Ontario native averaged 12.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while helping Utah unexpectedly race out to a strong start last season.
The Thunder could opt to start Olynyk alongside Holmgren in the front court, or bring him off the bench as a spark plug big who can make threes and create plays for others at times. More than anything, he adds a veteran presence to a young team that still needs guidance to win.
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