What the OKC Thunder Actually Need At the Trade Deadline, and What They Don't

This season has been a roller coaster. It started with the defending champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, looking like the juggernaut that was promised. The Thunder, who retained 99% of their title team from a year ago, burst onto the scene with a 24-1 record. Despite the injury adversities that have plagued them the entire 2025-26 campaign, Oklahoma City still sits with the NBA's best record, 38-11.

Along the way, they have missed over 20 games from All-NBA swingman Jalen Williams and starting big man Isaiah Hartenstein. Not to mention the multi-game absences from Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, Chet Holmgren and even superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who has been fortunate enough to only miss two tilts for this team.

Oklahoma City went through a sky is falling stretch earlier this season, most recently, the Thunder have dropped three of their last four. This includes a blowout loss to Minnesota and two games dropped at home via Toronto and Indiana. Perhaps the worst loss of this messy stretch was a beat down handed to the Bricktown Ballers by the Charlotte Hornets in the Paycom Center.

Now, the NBA world turns their attention to the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline. The Thunder's rollercoaster of a first half puts them under the microscope. Once thought of as a run away favorites, now real doubt has creeped in for most prognosticators trying to peg how this season will end.

But what is the reality? Do the Oklahoma City Thunder simply need to get healthy or do they need change?

What the OKC Thunder Actually Need At the Trade Deadline –– And What They Don't

The Oklahoma City Thunder do not need some massive trade to be able to enjoy back-to-back titles. They only need a stroke of good luck on the injury front, which is no sure thing. While many will point to that uncertainty as the exact reason Sam Presti should be aggressive on the trade market, there isn't a target out there –– Sans Giannis Antetokounmpo –– who could make up for what Oklahoma City has been missing in street clothes. The reality is the biggest, and best change, will be getting Williams, Hartenstein, Mitchell, Caruso and company back in the lineup and up to par for the postseason.

However, that doesn't mean the team should stay ideal. Oklahoma City has an abundance of future draft picks –– which are the currency of deadline deals –– Ousmane Dieng's salary as well as the Non Tax Payer Mid Level Exception, Bi Annual Exception and Disabled Player Exception to get creative with on the trade market. There are targets out there for OKC to improve. Though, the Thunder only need a small adjustment.

Hartenstein has seen his right soleus strain flair up twice already this season, perhaps indicating the Bricktown Ballers should go nab an insurance big man before the Feb. 5 trade deadline. It is hard to ignore the Thunder's 3 point shooting struggles, especially in losses, leaving that an area of need to.

It is important to keep in mind, one shooter will not overhaul this entire team's ability to stroke it from beyond the arc. The basic need of the team should simply be trying to thread the needle of a back up big man who can also knock down timely triples, while easier said than done, that would kill two birds with one stone.