Fansided

5 NBA teams that already need to make a trade

By Paul Centopani

Oct 20, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant (9) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) defends during the game at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant (9) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) defends during the game at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images /

3. Thunder and Lightning

In the years following Russell Westbrook’s reign, the Thunder cleared the decks of any large salaries and glommed draft picks through shrewd deals and contract dumps. By far, Oklahoma City’s composition of 35 selections between the 2022 and 2028 drafts leads the league, ahead of New Orleans and New York (both with 24) while Brooklyn has the lowest with four.

All those picks sound great in theory, but that powder can’t stay dry forever. Eventually, they need to turn into real, live players. The only problem is, OKC has finite roster space, so dealing some of them away seems likely.

Pairing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with De’Aaron Fox would give the Thunder two bolts of lightning and shoot them atop the League Pass rankings. Fox would also give their precocious core a (slightly) older budding star to lean on while the 19- and 20-year old cavalry develops. Even though Fox just signed his deal, OKC could absorb him into their carefully curated cap space.

Marvin Bagley greatly fell out of favor with the team and likely won’t get re-signed this offseason. Bagpipes, the No. 2 overall pick in 2018 and still just 22-years old, could use a fresh start in a place that would nurture his talent.

You really have to feel for the Kings fans out there. Sacramento holds the sport’s longest ongoing postseason drought at 15 seasons, last making it as the No. 8-seed in 2006 and losing to San Antonio in six games. For a frame of reference, Mike Bibby led them in scoring, George W. Bush sat in the middle of his second presidential term, and the iPhone wasn’t released until the following year. That’s right, the Kings’ last playoff appearance predates the iPhone. Sure, the West is and has been brutal for this entire century but the playoff field churns every year and every year excludes Sacramento.

You figure even with their management circus and poor choices, 15 years of lottery picks would eventually coalesce to form a winning unit. Alas, Luke Walton was their latest coach to receive his walking papers and the team looks destined to count ping pong balls again this spring. Getting ahead of the inevitable Fox disgruntlement for a windfall of high-value future assets and chopping salary could be prudent.

In this trade, Sacramento could pluck the choicest of selections from OKC’s draft pick bouquet. The Piston’s first in 2022? Done! The 2023 first from the Clippers? Sure, go nuts!

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