Thunder Mailbag: NBA Cup and Trade Talk

Answering the three best questions submitted to this week’s mailbag.

Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) controls the ball against Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images / Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City are one of the hottest teams and now have made their way to the NBA Cup Championship on Tuesday. Oklahoma City will match up with the Milwaukee Bucks in Las Vegas in a game with more prize money on the line.

Following that contest, the season continues to be in full swing as the turn of the calendar year approaches and trade chatter continues to heat up. While the Thunder has one of the best rosters in the league, there's no question GM Sam Presti will be exploring potential deals in the coming months.

Let’s answer the three best questions that were submitted for this week’s mailbag:

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Is Going to NBA Cup Championship A Bad Thing Bigger Picture?

There are certainly disadvantages to making it this far. For starters, Oklahoma City and Milwaukee will play an extra regular season game (83) which is, of course, another opportunity for injuries. Furthermore, the Thunder’s schedule is now set up as three games in four nights this week instead of having several days of much-needed rest. Conversely, the road to the championship and game itself is a valuable opportunity to play in meaningful situations with stakes. Especially for a young team like Oklahoma City, that’s important. It’s also a confidence booster, if you ask me. So overall, I think it’s a scenario in which teams should try their hardest to win it all, but ultimately, it’s no big deal if you don’t make it far in the NBA Cup. 

What’s Surprised You Most in a Negative Way This Season with the Thunder?

As good as the Thunder has been this season, there’s plenty to pick at. Nothing stands out as detrimental or a major red flag, but there are a few things that have been surprising in a bad way for me. One is the 3-point shooting of both Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace. They’re both dominant defenders, but have really struggled from deep. I also haven’t loved the inconsistency in Aaron Wiggins’ role. I think that’s negatively impacted his ability to be a consistent contributor.

With Trade Season Heating Up, Who is Your Top Realistic Target for OKC?

In the modern NBA, there are so many constraints on trades with the new CBA and the complexities in making deals work from a financial standpoint. Cam Johnson is my answer in terms of fit — he’d be the perfect final puzzle piece. But he has long-term money on his contract and it’s tough to make salaries match to pry him from Brooklyn. So, when thinking of who is most realistic from a package standpoint and it working monetarily, I’ll go with Malik Beasley. A move for him may not sound significant, but he would add another wrinkle to this team with his scoring punch off the bench. While he’s a guard — which the Thunder has plenty of — he’s experienced and different from an offensive tool standpoint. 

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Note: Questions may be paraphrased in order to group or aggregate similar submissions.

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