The Oklahoma City Thunder are still in prime position to compete for another championship in spite of some of their recent struggles. Yet, as the trade deadline approaches, any and all moves should be given consideration.
There are gaps that still need to be filled in the roster. The Western Conference has gotten better around them, and their path to the NBA Finals will be even more fraught with danger than last season.
A mock trade proposed by ClutchPoints' Enzo Flojo presents a scenario that is, at the very least, intriguing.
If the Utah Jazz decide to move on from Lauri Marrkanen, Oklahoma City has such depth that they could acquire him at relatively little cost to their rotation.
Alongside Chet Holmgren in the frontcourt, he could be the piece that puts them over the top,
Lauri Markkanen is perhaps the one star that should entice the Thunder
Here is the trade that Flojo lays out:
This trade, in and of itself, does not work financially. It would almost certainly require Isaiah Hartenstein's salary to be shipped off to a third team and additional cap assets to be sent back to Utah in return.
This move, however, solves a number of immediate financial issues for Oklahoma City in spite of Markkanen's hefty salary. Both Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams have club options this offseason, meaning that the Thunder would need to make tough decisions in order to avoid second apron penalties.
Ousmane Dieng, meanwhile, is entering restricted free agency. This deal, therefore, comes at very little cost to the Thunder's long-term depth.
Independent of the financial constraints in future seasons, just imagine what Markkanen could be in Oklahoma City. He's had a resurgence this season, averaging 27.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while knocking down 36.5% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
By pairing him with Holmgren in the frontcourt, the Thunder could quickly have one of the most lethal offensive duos. The strides Holmgren has taken on the defensive end would allow them to maintain their anchor in the paint. Markkanen's floor-stretching ability would grant the offense more room to operate.
Given the chemistry Oklahoma City has built over the past couple of seasons, it's hard to imagine them tearing apart the team in this manner. Utah has also expressed a disinterest in dealing Markkanen this season.
In all likelihood, a deal like this is off the table before it would even get started.
However, if the goal is another championship, these possibilities are at least worth considering.