Less than a week remains until the NBA trade deadline. On Feb. 5, we’ll find out how much teams changed up their rosters for the home stretch of the season. It’s the last chance for contenders to add more pieces and for rebuilding situations to add more draft capital.
Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder sit atop the NBA standings, a mediocre month-plus has cracked open the door to a possible move. Specifically, what the offense looks like when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor.
Maybe everything will get fixed when the Thunder are fully healthy. But that’s not a guarantee, considering the injuries they’ve juggled all season.
All that said, Thunder Wire will list out four candidates for the guard, forward and center positions that the Thunder could target. Let’s look at 12 players:
Ayo Dosunmu
This would be a rich offense that instantly upgrades their secondary offense. Dosunmu has been a fixture in the Bulls’ rotation for the last five seasons. He’s in the final year of his contract, which means Chicago could look to flip him for assets. Would be perfect timing as he’s enjoyed a career season. He’s averaged 14.8 points on 51.2% shooting, 3.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds. He’s shot 44.1% from 3 on 4.2 attempts.
Yes, please. To all of that, if you’re OKC. The asking price would certainly be rich, but the Thunder can afford to overpay in a possible trade. He’d immediately be one of their three best shot creators. The outside shooting would also be a welcome addition. He can seamlessly fit into a bench role.
Gary Trent Jr.
Not exactly as splashy as the one above, but Trent Jr. could help the Thunder with outside shooting. That’s been their biggest weakness over the years. He’s averaged 8.2 points and 1.5 assists. He’s shot 35.7% from 3 on 5.5 attempts. The latter numbers are what’s important here.
This move won’t exactly shake up the rotation, but give the Thunder another outside shooter. The defensive limitations will stop him from getting serious minutes, but he’d be a great end-of-bench guy who could thrive playing alongside Gilgeous-Alexander with the number of open looks he’d get.
Keon Ellis
Out of the Kings’ rotation, Ellis could benefit from a fresh start. He’d be a good buy-low candidate as his numbers are down across the board. If the Thunder add him, it’s because they’re confident they can get more out of him than one of the worst NBA situations. He’s averaged 5.6 points and 1.3 rebounds. He’s shot 36.8% from 3 on 3.3 attempts. While not a gunner, he’d help with their outside shooting.
What could help Ellis’ case even more is his defense. He’s averaged 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks. Despite being undersized, he’s shown he can stay up front of perimeter scorers. The Thunder require you to be a plus-defender if you want to see the floor constantly. He does that.
Malik Monk
Let’s sandwich these recommendations with another rich addition. Monk will have a market. He’s established himself as a dynamic scorer on the Kings over the years. He’s averaged 12.5 points on 44.2% shooting and 2.6 assists. He’s shot 42.4% from 3 on 4.8 attempts. His addition would depend on how badly the Thunder think they need another go-to scorer.
No doubt, Monk can go off on any night. He’s your textbook Sixth Man archetype who can get hot fast. The only downside is that the one-on-one defense isn’t on par with the rest of OKC’s roster. And that you risk stealing away possessions from the rest of your depth. There’s no doubt that he’d be the most exciting player to add from this group, but there are some items they’d need to check off the to-do list to ensure it’d make sense.
Naji Marshall
After being a journeyman, Marshall has enjoyed a career season with the Mavericks. He’s averaged 14.7 points on 54.4% shooting, 4.9 rebounds and three assists. He’s a plus defender with solid size. The outside shooting is a little iffy. He’s only at 30.6% from 3 on 2.9 attempts. Not the greatest volume or efficiency.
The fit is a little odd, but he’d be one of the better forwards. The Thunder value defense. Marshall plays well on that side of the floor while showing some on-ball juice this season. The 28-year-old should have zero problems fitting into OKC’s ecosystem. He’s been on plenty of teams where his role has been smaller.
Simone Fontecchio
Not the splashiest name, but Fontecchio is almost a guarantee to be moved. He’s one of those guys that joins a new team every season. He’s provided some decent depth for the Heat. He’s averaged 8.6 points on 40.6% shooting, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He’s shot 37.9% from 3 on 4.9 attempts. That’s the number that really sticks out if you’re OKC.
If you’re the Thunder, fetching Fontecchio shouldn’t cost too much. He’s solid depth that could be your third-string forward. The outside shooting is a plus. He’s not an awesome defender, but they should be able to hide him on the opposition’s worst scorers. This is a white bread choice, but something realistic.
Luke Kennard
If you’re looking for a quick fix on outside shooting, Kennard is a nice Band-Aid. He’s averaged 7.8 points on 53.1% shooting, 2.2 assists and 2.1 rebounds. He’s shot an unreal 48.9% from 3 on 3.2 attempts. Considering the rest of his career, those numbers are legit. No fool’s gold. The Hawks could be sellers. And considering he’s on an expiring deal, he’s the perfect candidate to be moved.
Of course, the defense will be a problem. That alone could knock him out of the conversation. But sometimes, you gotta compensate one side of the floor to help the other. Kennard has proven to be a contributor on several contenders. You can play him in the playoffs. As an end-of-bench guy, not much to complain about.
Svi Mykhailiuk
This would be a fun reunion from OKC’s tanking years. Mykhailiuk had a cup of coffee with the Thunder in 2021. Since then, he’s bounced around the league. Because the Jazz are tanking, he’s been a starter for them. But Utah has no long-term ties with the 28-year-old. He’s averaged 8.6 points on 46.5% shooting and 2.5 rebounds. He’s shot 37.7% from 3 on 4.5 attempts.
Once again, the outside shooting really sticks out. If Mykhailiuk can put up those numbers in Utah with constant rotation changes, he’d thrive playing alongside Gilgeous-Alexander again. His rapport with the Thunder should also help his case. The cost should be pretty low, too.
Robert Williams III
Injuries have plagued Williams III’s career. That sadly continues to be the case this season with the Trail Blazers. He’s only played 33 games this season and is mostly outside of the rotation. He hasn’t eclipsed 40 games since the 2021-22 season. So yeah, this would be a risky addition. He’s averaged 5.9 points on 73.7% shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.
But considering the Thunder aren’t in urgent need to add a center, Williams III could be worth the flyer. He’s on an expiring salary, so no commitment beyond this season. And the upside is too enticing to ignore. At this peak, he’d fit perfectly with OKC’s league-best defense. He can protect the rim as well as most players. It’s just about managing injuries.
Jock Landale
It’s been a career season for Landale. As the Grizzlies are buried with injuries, he’s taken advantage of the opportunity with career highs across the board. He’s averaged 11.6 points on 52% shooting, 6.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He’s shot 39% from 3 on 2.9 attempts. Before this season, he was a career journeyman who was barely in the NBA.
Considering Landale is on a cheap, one-year deal, there’s no long-term commitment here. He’ll help out more on offense than defense. Especially with his outside shooting. He’s also athletic enough to be a constant lob threat. It all depends on how Memphis views itself at the trade deadline. They could convince themselves either way.
Day’Ron Sharpe
If the Thunder want to go smaller and faster in their center room, Sharpe provides some upside. He’s averaged eight points on 60.7% shooting, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He’s also had 1.1 steals. The Thunder are reportedly in the market for another center. He’d be a perfect low-risk addition. You know what you’ll get out of him.
The Nets continue to rack up losses. This season is all about bettering Brooklyn’s lottery odds. Sharpe likely isn’t part of their long-term plans. He’d be an awesome addition for any contender. The Thunder need another young and healthy body as they deal with frontcourt injuries. He’d help.
Kevon Looney
Feels like I’ve tried to get Looney to the Thunder for years now. It’s been a forgettable season with the Pelicans. He’s averaging a mundane 2.7 points on 42.6% shooting and 5.1 rebounds. He’s fizzled out of New Orleans’ rotation after their head coach change. Forget all that. If you’re the Thunder, you bank on him returning to form. What he’s done this season can be washed away.
Looney has been on title contenders his whole career. The three-time NBA champion knows what it takes to get back to that level. He understands the sacrifices it takes to win at the highest level. The Thunder would add a good locker room presence that’s willing to eat some miles in the regular season to ensure Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are fresh for the playoffs.
