It seems like the Oklahoma City Thunder will be a popular name when discussing possible landing spots for disgruntled superstars for the foreseeable future.
As it looks like former MVP winners like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid could eventually ask out of their current situations, the Thunder will be mentioned as a possible suitor due to their rich amount of assets.
Buy Thunder TicketsIn the latest episode of “The Lowe Post,” both Zach Lowe and Ramona Shelburne agreed they think the Thunder could trade for any available superstar if they really wanted to. Both ESPN NBA experts believe OKC has deeper pockets than the rest of the league due to future draft picks and young players.
The pair discussed what a trade market would look like for Antetokounmpo, who’s openly talked about potentially moving on from the Milwaukee Bucks if they age out of their championship window.
Lowe said: “(OKC has) everything any team could possibly want. Including like, ‘Take your pick. You don’t want our picks because we’re going to get a superstar in this trade? You want some Clipper picks? You want some Rockets picks?… We got picks from everybody.'”
Shelburne said: “When I look at that, I keep coming back to the Thunder too for every single superstar who’s maybe on the move. If you’re a superstar and you say you want to win, and you’re looking at that roster with Shai… I want to play with that dude. All the other assets they have — they have enough assets and they have a superstar already there in SGA — that they can build a superteam tomorrow if they have the stomach for trading for whoever and hoping they want to stay.”
Lowe added: “They have three — at least three — legit, very enticing prospects that a team could talk themselves into being multi-time All-Stars. If you’re high on Josh Giddey, that’s what you think he’s going to be. If you’re high on Jalen Williams, that’s what you think he’s going to be. If you’re high on Chet Holmgren, that’s what you think he’s going to be.”
Zach Lowe & Ramona Shelburne both basically agree they think the Thunder could trade for any superstar if they really wanted to:
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) September 16, 2023
This is pretty high praise to hear from two of the more famous NBA media figures. On paper, the argument is sound. The Thunder are swimming with future draft picks from multiple teams and look like they have hit on most — if not all — of their lottery picks.
If the Thunder wanted to pry open a title window, they theoretically could. The one downside — which both Lowe and Shelburne also discussed — is how open a former MVP in their prime would be to willingly spend several years in OKC.
Under the Giannis hypothetical, he’d only be in OKC for one season if a trade happens next summer. He owns a player option for the 2025-26 season at $51.9 million.
It’d be a risky move for the Thunder as it could lose out on several cheap years of service from upcoming talent like Holgrem/Williams/Giddey for a possible 30-year-old rental.
It’s a delicate situation the Thunder will need to perfect when/if they decide to go for it and make a massive win-now move. Acquiring a player the caliber of Antetokounmpo with no long-term commitment from him is a boom-or-bust move.
