NBA Mock Trade: Thunder Add Former College Teammate of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Could the Oklahoma City Thunder add center depth in a deal with the Charlotte Hornets?

At this point in the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder must make a decision on which way to go the rest of the way. Should they acquire a marginal asset to make a push for the play-in, or perhaps sell off on a player and allow others to get more minutes?

Regardless, Darius Bazley might be a player on the trade block. Not only has he faced injury issues this season, but he’s also had healthy games in which he hasn’t touched the floor for a single minute.

The former first-round pick is wildly inconsistent on offense, although he is a really solid defender. Nonetheless, he’s due for a new contract in the offseason. If he’s not part of the Thunder’s plans beyond this season, it might be time to trade him while they still can.

Both for this season and moving forward, Oklahoma City needs center depth. As such, swapping Bazley for a halfway decent big would make sense.

One name that could be had for relatively cheap is Nick Richards of the Charlotte Hornets. They currently own the worst record in the NBA and have other young prospects at the center position that are better pieces moving forward.

A former college teammate of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at Kentucky, Richards could be an immediate starter in Oklahoma City. On the season, he’s averaging 9.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. These are similar to Bazley’s numbers last season, before he took a step back in the 2022-23 campaign.

Similar to Bazley, Richards is someone that could be taken off the books after this season if things don’t work out. These teams could both get a few months of exploration time with a new piece to see if they fit better. If neither situation works out, there’s no losers on either side.

The Thunder need a legitimate 7-footer and the Hornets are more slim at the forward positions. Swapping these players could make sense for both sides. 

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