NBA Trade Rumors: 5 possible trade destinations for DeAndre Jordan
By Morgan Dunn
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder formed a superteam over the summer, landing both Paul George and Carmelo Anthony in a pair of blockbuster trades. This seemed to convince reigning Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook to stick around, as he subsequently inked a long-term contract with the team. However, the Thunder are off to an 8-11 start that may have the organization a bit worried about their ability to compete with the likes of the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, two teams that are rolling right now and should continue to do so throughout the season.
Perhaps a Big 3 is not enough for the Thunder; maybe they should pursue a Big 4. That’s where Jordan comes in. Jordan would give the Thunder a rock to depend on defensively, a guy that can gobble up rebounds and let their offensively-gifted trio focus on what they do best. Of course, Jordan’s presence might hurt Westbrook’s triple-double total this season, but that’s certainly not as much of a priority as the team’s win total.
This deal is a simple one, a one-for-one. Adams and Jordan have their similarities as players, but Jordan is the superior option in the short-term. Still just 24, Adams is already a very good big man and retains upside. This trade seems like a good match for the timetables of these two organizations. Oklahoma City may end up being the team that balks at such a deal, as Adams doesn’t get his due around the league, but they might feel that the upgrade is significant enough for a season in which they’d like to contend for the NBA title.