Buy or Sell: OKC Could Opt to Sell With Lofty Draft Goals in 2023
Oklahoma City continues to once again trend toward being sellers at the deadline, rather than buyers.
Why wouldn’t they? They have a ton of draft picks and a stockpile of young players, higher value picks would only mean better potential outcomes down the road. OKC is on track to have the second youngest NBA team ever, behind last year’s Thunder team.
If they choose to sell it could see the team become even younger. There’s a few names who could see their stints in OKC end sooner rather than later — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t one of them.
Derrick Favors is the first Thunder player who could be dealt between now and the trade deadline. He and Mike Muscala share the title of oldest Thunder player, both born in July 1991, Muscala is a whole 14 days older than Favors. However, Favors is the most likely to be dealt of the two.
Favors will likely have multiple suitors if Sam Presti places him on the open market, being a favorable bench role player for teams looking to make a deep playoff run. Favors is a formidable player who still has gas left in his tank at 31, but with the Thunder’s hope of being as young as they can at the core, Favors may be a piece used to acquire more draft picks.
Other trade possibilities include OKC guards…
Ty Jerome is on possible block addition this season. Jerome has shown flashes of being a key bench piece, but hasn’t carved out a consistent valuable role with the team and with Jalen Williams entering the rotation, guard minutes are at a premium, which could make Jerome be the odd man out.
He may not bring in big eye-opening trade deals, but receiving some sort of return instead of cutting him and receiving nothing is a brighter option long-term.
Theo Maledon is in a similar situation as Jerome, while he’s much younger, Maledon continues to slip down the minute chart. While Maledon and Jerome have seen similar production in their careers, Maledon would likely bring more to the table in a trade package with his age, and potential.
OKC’s roster is lengthy in terms of overall numbers and that comes with no shortage of options — not counting the main core of the rotation — to help the organization continue its draft stockpile and rebuild.
It’s more likely the Thunder continue to sell at the deadline this season again with lofty draft goals again on the horizon in 2023, but the time of OKC being perianal sellers could be over soon.
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