You might be jealous of the Oklahoma City Thunder if you’re an NBA fan. Perhaps you’re a fan of the Denver Nuggets – in that event, you’re good. Otherwise, you might feel some envy if you’re not a Thunder fan.
This team is in as good of a position as one could imagine. The Thunder are bonafide title contenders. They’re also extremely young. That alone would be enough, but the Thunder also have the best draft capital assembled in the NBA.
What should they do with it? That’s a matter of debate. The Thunder could be patient. They could make a blockbuster trade. On the other hand, they could also make a small but significant move to upgrade their roster.
Could they acquire Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets?
NBA Trade Proposal: Oklahoma City Thunder Land Brooklyn Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith
Brooklyn Nets Receive: F Davis Bertans, F/C Aleksej Pokusevski, 2024 First-Round Pick (Top 4 Protected – HOU via OKC)
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O’Neale
You may not be as jealous of the Nets. With that said, they aren’t in a horrible position, either. If you were to describe the Nets’ current situation, you’d likely use the word “complicated”.
The team itself is mediocre. The Nets have a strong chance of making the 2023-23 playoffs, but it would be surprising if they won a series. Often, we suggest that middling teams should trade their best players and rebuild. That’s where this gets complicated.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dorian Finney-Smith, Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
The Nets have a lot of draft capital. With that said, they don’t have their own. This team owes control of its draft to the Houston Rockets for the foreseeable future.
Could they move two valuable role players anyway?
Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
If you’re a Rockets fan, you love this proposal. This deal makes the Nets worse. If they make it, they’ll likely send the Rockets a pick on the backend of the lottery.
With that said, the Rockets control their draft through to 2027. The Nets can cede one lottery pick in what’s widely held to be a weak draft. This is about improving next year and beyond.
The Nets already have a solid collection of draft capital, but after making this move, they’ll have a very competitive offer for a star player next summer.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dorian Finney-Smith, Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
In the meantime, the Nets could be happy to take a flyer on Pokusevski. He’s a young player with a low floor – but a high ceiling. Should the Thunder give up on him?
Why The Oklahoma City Thunder Do The Deal
The Thunder don’t need to hold their breath for players like Pokusevski to develop anymore. This team is ready to compete for an NBA title. Now, the Thunder should focus on strengthening the roster around their core.
What do they need? Well, this team could use a big wing that can guard multiple positions. Finney-Smith meets that criteria. Meanwhile, O’Neale is a solid contributor in his own right.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dorian Finney-Smith, Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
Finally, this pick is likely to be middling. The Rockets have been competitive this year. Sure, they’ve been slipping a bit recently – look for them to make a trade that improves their roster before the deadline. The last thing they want to do is send the Thunder a valuable pick.
