Patience is a virtue. Yet, the early bird gets the worm. This is a dilemma that NBA teams need to deal with. Sometimes, it pays for them to be patient. Other times, it’s best for them to get ahead of the curve.
What should the Oklahoma City Thunder do? It’s a tough call. This team was surprisingly competitive in 2022-23. There’s surely an appetite in their front office to make win-now moves. At the same time, the Thunder are young. They could benefit from being patient and continuing to build their asset base.
By contrast, the New York Knicks don’t have time to be patient. They’re firmly in win-now mode. If this organization makes a trade any time soon, we can assume that it will be a trade that improves their short-term outlook. Could they make a move for Luguentz Dort of the Thunder?
The Trade Proposal
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: G/F Evan Fournier, 2026 First-Round Pick (Top 5 Protected – NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: G/F Luguentz Dort
This trade won’t suit every fan. That’s the nature of NBA trades. Fans want one thing – whether it’s what’s best for the organization or not. Generally, fans want to win. If they get a taste of victory, they’ll inevitably want a larger slice of that pie.
With that said some trades are designed to take a step backward in an effort to take two steps forward. Unless a team has real title odds, they can always justify such a move. A title window tends to be narrow – it needs to be taken advantage of. Otherwise, any team can justify a move that’s focused on improving their future.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder & New York Knicks Updates
The Thunder are no exception. This will be a fun team to watch next year. The Thunder are likely to compete on a nightly basis, and they’ve got exciting young players. With that said, they do not presently have a championship window open. Should they delay opening it a little more?
Why The Oklahoma City Thunder Do The Deal
We hear you, Thunder fans. Your team already has the best collection of draft capital in the NBA. For that matter, it’s the biggest collection that’s ever been assembled. Why would they move a solid role-player for more draft capital?
Here’s a hypothetical – Giannis Antetokoumnpo becomes available. He has demanded a trade. The New Orleans Pelicans are offering Zion Williamson. The Houston Rockets are offering Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun. Each team is attaching draft capital as well. Are you sure the Thunder have the best offer? Isn’t it likely that they’ll have to attach Josh Giddey to their offer – if not Chet Holmgren?
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder & New York Knicks Updates
In other words – more draft capital won’t hurt. The Thunder would like to trade for the next available superstar that they’re interested in without moving any core players. This deal helps them accomplish that goal – even if it comes at the cost of Dort. Should the Knicks give up any draft capital for him?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
With that said, the Knicks would probably like to trade for that same star. Do they need to? The Knicks won a playoff series last season. They may be closer to contending than we think. What do they need in order to improve?
A 3-and-D wing would certainly help. That’s Dort. He’s one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA. Yes, his shot comes and goes, but he remains a useful rotation player. Dort will make the Knicks a better team.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder & New York Knicks Updates
Fournier will not – the Knicks won’t even include him in their rotation. That’s part of the appeal for the Knicks here. They’re moving off of a player who’s apparently unhappy to be on the team anyway. The Knicks could improve their locker room. If Dort clicks with his new teammates, the Knicks may be glad they didn’t patiently wait to improve their roster after all.
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