The mighty have fallen. The OKC Thunder, who were dominant all season long, were sent home by the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Now, they have a long offseason with plenty of big decisions coming. One of them should be whether a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo is in their best interest, as they clearly have the capital to get it done.
Thunder's asset stash is rich
After years of brilliant front office work, OKC's Sam Presti has the type of assets at his disposal that some teams don't see in a lifetime. With many draft picks and compelling players, OKC could make a move for Giannis and still have plenty left over. They already look like they will be one of the league's best teams for years to come; a trade for Giannis could make them only stronger.
If the Thunder were to entertain the idea, they would likely try to forge a package around one of Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren. Extensions for both players are set to kick in next season, and moving off one of them would be needed. Both have flaws—Williams has nagging injuries while Holmgren had a devastating playoff disappearing act—but either would be the blue-chip prospect Milwaukee wants.
Paired with an assortment of first-round picks, the Thunder could blow the rest of the league out of the water with their Giannis Antetokounmpo trade offer.
Thunder could very well hold off
OKC doesn't feel like the type of team to make a panic move. Throughout most of the regular season, people talked about this team like it was the NBA's next dynasty. Had they not suffered injuries to key players, such as Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, there's a shot that the Thunder are the ones moving to the NBA Finals right now. They could very well opt to keep their core intact.
Yet, though they are young and should be around for years to come, they must realize that their rival San Antonio Spurs aren't going anywhere, either. Victor Wembanyama is just 22 years old, and it was crystal clear throughout this series that OKC has no answer to him. Not Chet Holmgren. Not Isaiah Hartenstein. A fellow freak of nature like Giannis would give them a puncher's chance.
The Milwaukee Bucks should be very interested in any OKC offer. While other teams like Miami and Boston have solid trade packages, the Thunder's could be exceptional.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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