Trade Deadline 2023: Oklahoma City Thunder Mock Deadline

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  • By Steven Bagell

    Last Updated on February 7, 2024 10:45 pm by Mike Passador | Published: January 18, 2023

    GM: John Hamm, @JonMHamm

    Salary Cap: $142,394,636

    Luxury Tax: $7,872,364

    GOAL: Continue what youโ€™ve been doing: keep asset building. However, it might be time to start consolidating assets to move but still need to remain patient with the rebuild.

    Priorities

    โ€ข You have two decent size TPEsโ€ฆ. Donโ€™t be afraid to take on salary into one of them if a pick is attached to it

    o ย  However, due to the amount of dead money on the books, you need to be conscious of your tax situation

    โ€ข Consider trading Darius Bazley if you donโ€™t have the intent of re-signing him

    โ€ข Consider trading Mike Muscala, plenty of teams can utilize a big who can shoot

    Players to Dangle

    Darius Bazley (1/$4.2)

    o ย  Salary: $4,264,629

    o ย  Can match up to $7,563,100

    Mike Muscala (2/$7 w/ TO in 2023-24)

    o ย  Salary: $3,500,000

    o ย  Can match up to $6,225,000

    o ย  These are the only two guys I can really see OKC putting on the block and also gauging interest from other teams. Maybe OKC would move Tre Mann, but these are the two immediate guys I see them trying to move.

    Assets Owned

    โ€ข TPE: $10,183,800
    โ€ข TPE: $4,220,057
    โ€ข     2023 1st (more favorable of OKC and LAC)
    โ€ข 2024 1st
    โ€ข 2024 HOU 1st (top four protected, if not conveyed then 2024 & 2025 2nd)
    โ€ข 2024 LAC 1st
    โ€ข 2024 UTA 1st (top 10 protected in โ€˜24 & โ€˜25, top 8 protected in โ€˜26)
    โ€ข 2025 MIA 1st (top 14 protected)
    โ€ข 2025 1st (most favorable of OKC, LAC, & HOU (HOU top 10 protected)
    โ€ข 2025 PHI 1st (top six protected)
    โ€ข 2026 1st
    โ€ข 2026 LAC 1st
    โ€ข 2026 HOU 1st (top four protected)
    โ€ข 2027 DEN 1st (could convert to 2028 1st top five protected)
    โ€ข 2027 1st
    โ€ข 2028 1st
    โ€ข 2029 1st
    โ€ข 2023 2nd (most favorable of a) own b) WAS or b) most favorable of DAL & MIA)
    โ€ข 2024 2nd (less favorable of CHA & MIN)
    โ€ข 2025 2nd (most favorable of MEM & BOS)
    โ€ข 2025 PHI 2nd
    โ€ข 2026 2nds (two most favorable of OKC, DAL, & PHI)
    โ€ข 2027 2nds (three most favorable of OKC, HOU, IND, & MIA)
    โ€ข 2028 2nd
    โ€ข 2028 UTA 2nd
    โ€ข 2029 2nd
    โ€ข 2029 ATL 2nd

     

    Mock Trades to Date (Feb 2 Deadline)

     

    Lakers move off Nunn (again)

    Lakers trade: Kendrick Nunn and the more favorable of their 2023 2nd and Chicagoโ€™s 2023 2nd

    Thunder trade: Darius Bazley

     

    This move is eerily similar to the deal the Lakers got done for Rui Hachimura in real life. Instead of the Lakers giving up three second-round picks in a deal for Hachimura, here it took one pretty good second-rounder and Kendrick Nunnโ€™s matching salary for Darius Bazley. Also similar to Hachimura, Bazley is a restricted free agent this summer who the Lakers would have to re-sign this summer. While Hachimura is strictly more of a power forward, the Lakers desperately need wings, and Bazley can do just that. He isnโ€™t a perfect fit, but he has theoretical upside and is just 22 years old. Since they gave up so little, this is a very low-risk, high-reward deal for the Lakers.

    For the Thunder, roster spots are being scarce quickly and it is unlikely they will re-sign Bazley this summer, so unless they felt as though he could fetch more in a sign-and-trade for them this summer, this was a move that made sense.ย 

    January 18, 2023, 1:48 am