Could OKC Thunder Trade for an Eastern-Conference Star at the Deadline?

Right now, the OKC Thunder have the best record in the Western Conference at 36-8. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks like an MVP candidate and all the pieces surrounding him appear to be good fits.

As the trade deadline approaches, the question of whether the Thunder should make a move is one that many are asking. Some say adding a sharpshooter to come off the bench is what they need and others argue that OKC is a hard team to trade into.

A new name was thrown around in those exact trade rumors, this time in the form of Chicago Bulls guard Zach Lavine. The Sporting News proposed the trade, with the Bulls star's name coming as a surprise to some. The proposition raises an interesting question. Should OKC make a splash and trade for Zach Lavine?

Lavine is averaging 24 points per game on 51.3% shooting and 45.1% from outside. Both of those marks are the best of his career so far. Lavine has been a Bull for eight years and has experienced injury woes throughout that time. He only played 25 games in the 2023-2024 season and it was widely believed that he would get moved before the start of this one.

That simply wasn't the case and, to many's surprise, Lavine is still in Chicago. He's also having the most efficient season of his career. For Chicago, moving on from Lavine makes perfect sense. They've struggled to make the postseason with him as a number-one option

Another interesting element to the idea of acquiring Lavine is his contract. He signed a five-year, $215 million deal with Chicago in 2022 that goes through 2026. Regardless of what team he's playing on after the trade deadline, Lavine will have one more season on that contract.

It would also take a lot to get Lavine. A package of Isaiah Hartenstein and Isaiah Joe would work to acquire Lavine and, more than likely, a combination of first-round picks would also be included. Making a move for the Bulls star would certainly be a roll of the dice for general manager Sam Presti.

The Final Verdict:

Probably not. Lavine is expensive and has caused some locker room issues in Chicago in the past. He's a pure scorer and an elite slashing guard with years worth of experience to back that claim up.

Giving up either Hartenstein, Joe or any other key members of the OKC depth chart would be a massive hit for a risky trade. Hartenstein's value for OKC would also be hard to replace, especially as Chet Holmgren continues to work back from injury.

That's not to say that Lavine wouldn't be a good fit. A starting lineup of Gilgeous-Alexander, Lavine, Jalen Williams and a combination of two other forwards would create a dynamic lineup on both sides of the ball.

At this point in the season, with the glaringly goofy and fun chemistry of this team, trading someone away and bringing in someone new would make an impact on this Thunder team. There also isn't a blatant need for a new player. The idea of trading for Lavine sounds like fun but, in the grand scheme of things, probably is not neccesary.

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