After being dethroned as NBA champions, the OKC Thunder have many questions to answer and a host of decisions to make this summer. Among other things, the Thunder will be reviewing their roster and exploring possible tweaks.
Though the OKC lineup has remained steady over the past few years, the sobering loss at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs could lead to a trade or two. Already, analysts are pointing to certain players who might find themselves out of Oklahoma City over the next few months.
3 Under-the-Radar Thunder Trade Candidates This Summer
Lu Dort
For some Thunder fans, the thought of an OKC lineup without Lu Dort might sound ridiculous at this point. However, ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon have characterized Dort’s future in Oklahoma City as “murky,” given that he has a team option for $18.2 million. Slater and MacMahon also pointed to Dort’s decision to switch agents as “a move that hardly signifies a willingness to accept a team-friendly deal.”
Dort, of course, has immense value on the defensive end, helping set the tone for OKC on that end of the floor. However, the emergence of a younger 3-and-D threat in Cason Wallace could make Dort dispensable when trade season begins.
Isaiah Joe
While Dort has established himself as a defensive menace, Isaiah Joe earned his spot on the Thunder rotation with his offense. Joe was no. 5 in scoring among OKC players in the regular season, but in the playoffs, he gave head coach Mark Daigneault little reason to give him extended minutes.
Given this dip in scoring production, Joe could find himself in a highly vulnerable spot this offseason.
Aaron Wiggins
According to Slater and MacMahon, Joe is one of the two “most likely candidates to be moved in a trade” this summer. The other candidate is Aaron Wiggins, who likewise fell out of the Thunder’s rotation during the playoffs.
After averaging 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in the regular season, Wiggins put up just 1.5 points and 0.4 boards in 5.8 minutes per playoff outing. The Thunder, then, could be looking at Wiggins’ contract as another salary to shed.
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