Opinion: Oklahoma City isn’t trading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
For all but the two teams not duking it out in the NBA Finals, the NBA offseason has begun.
The arrival of the offseason is a wild and tumultuous time. Along with it’s arrival inevitably comes trade rumors, and there’s normally no better place to start than with trade-happy, small market Oklahoma City.
The Thunder’s biggest, shiniest piece is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who at 22-years-old thrust his name into All-Star conversations in the 2021 season.
In just his third season, the young guard averaged 23.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists, while shooting 50.8 percent from the floor and 41.8 percent from beyond the three-point line.
Both locally and nationally, rumors have begun to swirl around the 22-year-olds fit and timeline with the team.
Entertaining anything not including the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft in return for Gilgeous-Alexander is senseless. If you’re trading away a current star and what could be a future superstar for an unknown prospect, you’d better be getting your choice of prospects.
Even giving away SGA for the No. 1 pick straight across is a risky option.
Amongst the 14 active No. 1 picks in the league, Gilgeous-Alexander ranked fifth in points, assists and free throw percentage, sixth in field goal percent and first in three-point percentage. Point being: SGA would already rank as an above-average top pick in today’s NBA.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Alonzo Adams / USA TODAY Sports
While you could land an Anthony Davis, Karl Anthony Towns or Zion Williamson, the risk of getting Markell Fultz, Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins and more still looms.
The idea Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t fit Oklahoma City’s timeline is senseless.
The very reason Sam Presti accumulated his vast amount of draft assets was to give himself options. He’s not going to trade All-Star caliber 22-year-olds away on the notion it might earn himself a better 2027 Draft selection.
Assets give him options to draft, build and bring in talent in various ways.
This is all of course accounting for the fact that Gilgeous-Alexander has capped out his NBA potential as a measly 20-plus per game efficient scorer with great vision, rebounding skills and room for growth defensively.
READ MORE:
Report: OKC Exploring Trade for No. 1 Pick
NBA Draft Board: Davion Mitchell
SGA has seen considerable jumps in nearly every statistical category in each of his three seasons. Last season, he remarkably shot a higher three point percentage on more attempts. He’ll be a legit 50/40/90 club threat for the rest of his career.
Dealing Gilgeous-Alexander, who could very well make another jump at 23-years-old, for an unproven draft pick is a narrative that needs to quickly fizzle out.
