When evaluating the 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder, it’s hard to find many weaknesses.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably the second-best player in the world. Jalen Williams has emerged as a legitimate candidate to become a second superstar. Chet Holmgren, despite some growing pains, is on a star trajectory of his own. There is also the group of young role players whom OKC can choose to contractually control for years going forward.
OKC has an identity of hard-nosed, gritty defense that looks to be on the upswing after a historic season.
But there is one thing that has reared its head twice in these NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers — a lack of elite shooting.
Williams, Holmgren and Dort are solid shooters and Gilgeous-Alexander has made strides in that area. Aaron Wiggins has emerged as a playable rotation guy in these finals and Alex Caruso has made an unsustainable leap from deep in the playoffs.
All of them are fine, but none feel automatic. When Dort, who has become a good shooter, is the guy a fan base is most confident in taking a shot, that team is probably lacking dynamic shooting.
The good thing for OKC is that it’s not a hard fix. It’ll come down to whether or not Sam Presti wants to get aggressive for the second consecutive offseason. He has a bevy of options to make the most out of the final year of being able to afford to surround Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren with high-level role talent.
The easy solution: trade for Cam Johnson
This idea is low-hanging fruit, but the reason it’s hanging low is that it’s been ripe to pick for some time.
The trade is easy. Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, plus some draft compensation, go to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson.
There are no apron restrictions that prevent this deal. OKC has more draft picks than available roster spots this season and three first-rounders next season.
The one thing that is difficult about swinging this trade if you’re OKC is trading Wiggins. Part of that is who Wiggins is as a player. He’s been OKC’s second-best bench option in the NBA Finals and gets better every season. He’s beloved by the Thunder fanbase and a homegrown asset. But the truly difficult part about trading Wiggins is giving up his contract.
He’s in the first year of a five-year contract that descends each year, highlighted by an $8.3 million cap charge in 2028-29. As of now, that’s projected to be just 4.25% of the cap, an insane value deal for a player who has proven he can play and be effective in the NBA Finals.
But, at some point, I’d say that value only matters on paper and having the all-around expertise of Johnson is a huge addition over what Wiggins brings to the table.
Both are defensive liabilities, but Johnson is an elite shooter who teams will stay glued to on the perimeter, while Wiggins is someone that teams have shown a willingness to leave open until he makes a few.
Johnson also fills a role that OKC doesn’t really have anyone innright now. He’s 6-foot-8, shoots a career 39.2% from deep and can shoot both spot-up and on the move. He also offers an evolving off-the-dribble skillset. He’s not great defensively, but he’s not far better or worse than Wiggins.
The sell on Johnson isn’t tough. The fit is clear and he has NBA Finals experience with Phoenix. Losing Wiggins would be a tough blow, but if you can turn a guy who’s playing 20 minutes a game in the finals into a guy who can play 30, and be taller and be better in general, I see no reason why OKC shouldn’t.
Joe is a great development story who I have no doubt can play playoff minutes on a lot of teams, but it seems as if he isn’t ever going to get a ton of run in the postseason with OKC. He’s OKC’s best shooter, and whether it’s Johnson or someone else, Presti needs to turn his contract into someone who can get on the floor in the playoffs if the Thunder wants to maximize what it can be.
Solve through the draft: Move up from 15 to 12 and draft Cedric Coward
Personally, with where OKC is in terms of its window cap-wise, I think getting a ready-made shooter should be priority one, two and three this summer, but if Presti wants to play it conservative, as his history says he is likely to, there isn’t a better fit in the late lottery for OKC than Cedric Coward.
His on-court size will be right around 6-7. He’s a capable defender with a 7-2 wingspan, making him eerily similar to Jalen Williams from a size perspective. And, most importantly, he’s been an elite outside shooter during his two stops at the Division One level in college.
He played just six games at Washington State last season, but in those six games, he shot 40% from deep. In the two seasons prior, while at Eastern Washington, he shot 38% and 39%, the first of which came on more than four attempts per game. His shot looks fluid and confident and he also has some of the midrange game that OKC loves.
He screams OKC guy to me, but he’s been rising throughout the predraft process. Based on the buzz surrounding him and the success of players like Williams and Aaron Nesmith in the finals, it wouldn’t shock me to see him go a little higher than 12, but he may be on the board, and if so, Chicago makes sense as a trade-down team.
Outside of Josh Giddey, Coby White and Matas Buzelis, Chicago is lacking young talent. If OKC were to offer No. 15 and No. 23 for No. 12, it could make sense for the Bulls to take that deal unless they’re in love with a prospect at that point.
To me, the best course of action for OKC is to do both of these things. Trade Ousmane Dieng to a place where he can play and create a second roster spot by turning Joe and Wiggins into Johnson. Between Johnson and Coward, I think OKC’s rotation would be better set up for a finals run next season, even if it does call itself a champion come Sunday night.
Other options
Trade for Sam Hauser:
This one would be tough due to Boston’s financial restrictions, but Hauser is an absolute bomber who holds up on defense. The structure would likely be around Isaiah Joe and a third team to take his salary so Boston can try and escape the second apron.
Trade for Norm Powell:
Normally, I’d say the Clippers have no reason to move on from Powell, who was a borderline all-star last season, but OKC has it’s next two draft picks and if the Thunder were willing to part with one of them, along with whatever salary was needed to match the expiring deal of Powell, LAC would at least have to think about it.
OKC could afford the long-term cap implications due to Powell’s expiring contract, and it’s likely Joe may be trade fodder after next season due to the all-powerful second apron that is hanging over the head of OKC anyway.
Draft Liam McNeeley/Carter Bryant/Walter Clayton
I prefer the first two by a mile over Clayton, who I think will be a good NBA bench player but may struggle defensively, but should OKC stick and pick at 23, he should be in contention.
McNeeley’s 3PT% this season wasn’t impressive, but he was an excellent free-throw shooter at 87% and he took more than five 3s per game while playing out of position. Bryant is more of a projection as a shooter, but his defense and frame make him an ideal fit to be able to get on the court while he develops into the knockdown shooter some think he could be.
