One 'Ambitious' Trade Target For OKC Thunder in 2024 Offseason

The Oklahoma City Thunder's most recent season was beyond a success. From being a 40-42 team two seasons ago, making the playoffs was the goal this past season, and continuing to develop in a natural way.

Posting a 57-25 record and securing the No. 1 overall seed in the Western Conference, the Thunder might have blown away any expectation on the season, but they subsequently opened their championship window. The time is now for Oklahoma City.

So, should they push their chips this offseason to continue rounding out the roster? The answer to that question is tricky. Sam Presti and the Thunder are arguably the most unpredictable when it comes to the offseason.

Still, small tweaks to build a more rounded roster, suiting the style of play established by Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault could make sense.

Bleacher Report wrote about one "ambitious" trade target for every NBA team. The Thunder's "ambitious" trade target doesn't feel so out of reach, though. They listed Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija as a potential target for the Thunder.

They wrote that trading for a floor-spacing forward makes more sense than a traditional big man - - which makes sense. Bleacher Report understands the Thunder's drive-heavy, five-out offense. Adding a pick-and-roll center doesn't exactly mesh as well. So, they leaned towards Avdija.

"Hello, Deni Avdija," Bleacher Report wrote. "He will be starting a four-year, $55 million extension in 2024-25 that looks like a friggin' steal, won't turn 24 until January and is working off a career season. Receiving more touches led to a flourishing, at times sneakily physical drive-and-dish game and spiffier handles and footwork and finishing. His three-point volume will always leave you wanting more, but he just downed them at a 37.4 percent clip and negates some of the long-range hesitance with less aversion to contact and sharper movement away from the ball."

The Thunder *could* make a more permanent starting lineup tweak as the championship window is open. Daigneault made a move to substitute Isaiah Joe for Josh Giddey in the team's final two games of this past season. It didn't ultimately pay off, but it showed a willingness from the team to make moves to maximize the starting lineup and make things as efficient as possible. Giddey's offensive struggles are less noticeable when he comes off the bench.

Avdija could easily start and close games for the Thunder. He'd fit the bill as an Oklahoma City player quite well.

"Spackle in his defensive physicality and malleability, and Avdija is someone who could easily crack Oklahoma City's closing lineup," Bleacher Report continued. "And while the Washington Wizards shouldn't actively be hoping to move him, the Thunder have the first-round-asset armory to create their own trade market."

Oklahoma City can offer whatever needed to secure Avdija's services. Whether it be moving on from Giddey or an unnamed number of picks, Presti could get the trade done, should he want to.

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