• The Oklahoma City Thunder and primed and ready to make a win-now trade
• Damian Lillard’s price point may be easily matched by a package from the Thunder
• A strong start to the season could see OKC double down on contending immediately
The Oklahoma City Thunder have naturally developed their roster into becoming a fringe playoff roster while only having drafted one player in the top five in their three seasons of tanking. With the progress they’ve already made, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix believes the Thunder could make a move for Damian Lillard if he’s available till January.
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“Let’s say Oklahoma City is gangbusters to start the season. Let’s say they win 60-something percent of their games through January… Oklahoma City knows they can’t pay all these guys on their roster. They’ve got a surplus of young talent. They’ve got a surplus of draft picks. What’s to stop Sam Presti from saying, ‘You know what? Damian Lillard’s got 3.5 years left on his deal? Let’s go get him! Let’s put Lillard in a backcourt with Shai and with Lu Dort as the three man and let’s see how that works.’”
There hasn’t been any movement on Dame being dealt to Miami, with it increasingly looking likely that a move before training camp is not happening. If Lillard is held on the roster until the midway point of the season, he may accept a move to a winning situation in OKC and be the piece that makes them bonafide contenders.
Would Damian Lillard Say Yes To Oklahoma City?
After spending 11 seasons in a small market like Portland, it seems like Lillard wants to be in an attractive market like Miami. The Heat have a terrific winning project in one of the dream cities for an NBA player. The Thunder would fall on the opposite end, as Oklahoma City isn’t the nightlife and tourist destination that Miami is. While his intentions are motivated by winning, he definitely wants to end up in a high-profile city in a trade.
The Thunder would provide a winning opportunity like no other. If Lillard leads a very talented Thunder team to a title, he will cement his legacy as one of the greatest point guards in league history. It would be a much bigger accomplishment than doing it on the Heat, a franchise that has made two of the last four Finals with their current core.
If the Heat deal looks unlikely and Lillard expands his list, he may value a situation like the Brooklyn Nets more than OKC. The Thunder would definitely be a more likely destination than San Antonio or Utah, but a lot of good teams could join the fray if Dame is willing to cooperate with the Blazers, something that looks unlikely right now.
What Would The Thunder Give Up?
A trade would likely see a talent like Josh Giddey head to Portland, which alone would make the Blazers extremely happy. In addition, the Thunder have a lot of young players they can’t pay in the future, along with a warchest of draft picks. They could easily unload four first-round picks and two players alongside Giddey and still have more assets to put talent around Dame, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Lu Dort.
In all honestly, a move like this could be a season premature for the Thunder. They need to enjoy a full season with a clear winning objective for their young roster and see how far it takes them. No more hedging on a tank or contention, the Thunder need to come out guns blazing from day one.
A lot of assets would have to be moved, so maybe one more season of OKC further developing their current roster would be more fruitful. Dame isn’t necessarily the answer, as OKC could later explore a frontcourt superstar if one is to become available in the next year.
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