With the current information that Chet Holmgren is out for the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are going through one more season on the backside of the Western Convention. The quantity two general choose had excessive expectations and good odds of profitable the Rookie of the Yr award whereas giving hope to Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder followers that they might really be a aggressive staff this yr.
With out him, this staff’s roster basically mirrors final yr’s, that means one other yr of bottoming out for a high choose. Whereas some followers is likely to be enthusiastic about this, there may be one particular person who may not be. The previous Kentucky Wildcat, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s a competitor in each sense of the phrase.
He made the playoffs in his first yr within the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers and as soon as extra with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. Since then, he has confronted two years of this staff blatantly tanking and vying for high lottery picks. He even needed to go so far as sitting out video games for this trigger.
At 24, he’s seemingly going through a 3rd straight yr of that scenario. What’s his future right here, and would Oklahoma Metropolis entertain a commerce if he requested to depart? Earlier than we break that down, let’s take a look at an identical scenario between a participant and a staff that transpired this low season.
Shai Gilgeous (Picture by Ronald Cortes/Getty Photographs)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Dejounte Murray, a story of two level guards.
The San Antonio Spurs and Dejounte Murray simply parted methods this low season. San Antonio is going through its first rebuild in many years and determined that shifting their finest participant was one of the best ways to solidify that. It was a mutual break up, with San Antonio getting some further property for his or her rebuild and Murray getting despatched to a staff that is able to compete.
Whereas Murray and Gilgeous-Alexander are across the identical age and expertise stage, the one distinction is that Gilgeous-Alexander is locked right into a five-year contract. To be clear, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder may completely simply maintain onto the younger Canadian, however Gilgeous-Alexander can also be roughly 4 to 5 years older than the remainder of his key teammates. By the point these children hit his age, Gilgeous-Alexander will probably be pushing 30.
There may be an argument to be made that his timeline doesn’t match with the remainder of the staff. Oklahoma Metropolis would additionally stand to learn significantly from a commerce and would web greater than what San Antonio acquired for Dejounte Murray. Furthermore, NBA entrance workplaces can be making calls left and proper in the event that they came upon Gilgeous-Alexander was out there.
What groups can be the perfect match and have probably the most to supply the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder?
The Miami Warmth have been concerned in lots of potential offers, together with makes an attempt to accumulate Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell. It’s potential that if Gilgeous-Alexander turns into out there, they provide a package deal that features Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, and Max Strus, with a number of draft picks as well. That will give Oklahoma Metropolis a number of terrific younger gamers and additional draft capital.
One other staff can be the Golden State Warriors, with their key piece being James Wiseman. They’ll additionally add Jonathon Kuminga and Moses Moody as nicely, however what may actually maintain a hypothetical deal again is Jordan Poole’s harm.
So as to make a deal work, Golden State would seemingly have to incorporate Poole however Gilgeous-Alexander and his playstyle can be basically a juiced-up model of Poole with significantly better protection. One may argue that doing all this is able to be an excessive amount of of a sacrifice, however perhaps it’s price it for an growing old Golden State roster.
Lastly, we’re going to the New Orleans Pelicans to see what they’ve to supply. New Orleans is in an fascinating scenario, with Zion Williamson becoming a member of his staff as soon as extra after lacking a season resulting from harm. On this situation, this staff has the flexibility to construct an enormous three round Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Zion Williamson, and Brandon Ingram.
They’ll supply a package deal of Herb Jones, Dyson Daniels, and C.J McCollum with their very own vary of draft picks as nicely. Oklahoma Metropolis can later flip McCollum for added property, as they’ve earlier than with veteran Al Horford.
Plenty of groups could possibly be within the combine, however the aforementioned groups have nice property whereas additionally giving him a superb likelihood at really competing. Oklahoma Metropolis has loads of choices to pursue right here. Each ends with some good younger expertise with an identical timeline heading their method. Positive, they’ll completely maintain onto Gilgeous-Alexander however there is likely to be a situation on the market the place either side can win.
