Jason Burgos
While the Oklahoma City Thunder are on the verge of a second straight trip to the NBA Finals, a new rumor suggests they are just a few weeks away from a big trade.
On Tuesday night, the Thunder took the lead in their Western Conference Finals series against the San Antonio Spurs and are just one win away from getting back to the championship round. The victory was another great showcase of their depth as eight different players posted 15 or more minutes. It has been a strength of their title runs over the last two seasons.
They could strengthen that impressive depth soon because they have not one, but two picks in the top 20 of June’s NBA Draft as the 2019 Paul George continues to bare fruit. Yet, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Thunder may be a couple of weeks away from a monumental trade.
Fischer claimed in a new Stein Line report, “rival clubs continue to mention a certain team in Oklahoma City as a strong potential trade-up candidate” with the Los Angeles Clippers for their pick at No. 5 in next month’s event.
“What’s to stop them from packaging No. 12, 17, and future picks to try to go get Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson?” an executive from the East told Fischer.
Why must the Oklahoma City Thunder trade one of their first-round picks?
Most NBA experts, including Fischer, believe both the Duke and North Carolina stars will be off the board in the first four picks. It is why LA may be open to moving down and getting a pair of selections. Either way, the trade would give the Thunder the chance to land a potential future star from a draft that is one of the best in years.
Furthermore, the Thunder’s roster is so deep that they don’t won’t have many roster spots available the next couple of years. Meaning they sort of need to move at least one of their picks in June.
“The Thunder are going to do something,” Fischer writes. “Sam Presti’s front office is clearly facing some type of roster crunch if it holds on to No. 12 and 17. While all 15 players on the Thunder’s playoff roster are likewise under contract for next season. And that’s before even considering the team option decisions Oklahoma City will soon face on Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort, plus one of its Game 5 heroes: Kenrich Williams.”
