The NBA Trade Deadline is a week away, and while the Oklahoma City Thunder are not expected to make any major splashes, they are in a prime position to shake the league with their decision-making.
The Thunder are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back during the parity era, as the league has had seven straight different champions, with the Golden State Warriors being the last team to win back-to-back titles in 2018.
With talent across the league at an all-time high, the margin for error is as small as it’s ever been, and with the entire league aiming to dethrone the Thunder, next week marks a crucial point for it to happen.
Despite being a league-best 38-10, the Thunder have evident flaws that need to be addressed. Regardless of what the Thunder does during the deadline, the entire NBA landscape will be affected on February 5th.
Here are the main components regarding the Thunder as the trade deadline approaches.
Potential Thunder Trade Deadline Additions
Player Assets: Ousmane Dieng
Ousmane Dieng, who is only 22 years old, is in the last year of his rookie deal ($6.6 million) and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, as Dieng has yet to crack the rotation during his Thunder tenure. If you look at Sam Presti’s track record, he has traded players before they reach restricted free agency when the team has no intention of re-signing them to receive some form of compensation.
Unfortunately, things have not worked out for the former No. 11 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, who is a victim of the Thunder’s accelerated success. When the Thunder drafted Dieng, the team didn’t expect one of the quickest rebuilds in modern NBA history, as it was expected to give him developmental leeway.
The Thunder would proceed to make the play-in, the No. 1 seed, and a tough second-round exit, and then capture its first-ever championship, putting the 22-year-old at odds.
Draft Capital
- 2026 First Round Pick (via LAC)
- 2026 First Round Pick Top-4 Protected (via Houston)
- 2026 First Round Pick Top-3 Protected (via Philadelphia)
- 2026 First Round Pick Top-8 Protected (via Utah)
- 2027 First Round Pick Top-5 Protected (via Denver)
- 2027 First Round Pick (via LAC)
- 2027 First Round Pick
- 2027 First Round Pick Top-15 Protected (via San Antonio)
- 2028 First Round Pick (via Dallas)
- 2028 First Round Pick
- 2029 First Round Pick
- 2030 First Round Pick
- 2031 First Round Pick
- 2032 First Round Pick
- 2026 Second Round Pick (via Dallas)
- 2027 Second Round Pick (via Charlotte)
- 2027 Second Round Pick (via Miami)
- 2027 Second Round Pick (via Sacramento)
- 2028 Second Round Pick (via Milwaukee)
- 2028 Second Round Pick
- 2028 Second Round Pick (via Utah)
- 2028 Second Round Pick (via Atlanta)
- 2029 Second Round Pick (via Boston)
- 2029 Second Round Pick (via Miami)
- 2029 Second Round Pick
- 2030 Second Round Pick (via Denver)
- 2030 Second Round Pick (via Houston)
- 2030 Second Round Pick (via Miami)
- 2030 Second Round Pick
- 2031 Second Round Pick
- 2031 Second Round Pick (via Orlando)
- 2032 Second Round Pick
The Thunder have an infinite supply of draft picks and have the assets to make any trade they want.
Trade Exceptions
- $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception
- $5.4 million biannual exception
This allows the Thunder to take on salary into that exception to help make a trade work financially in this new CBA.
Cap Situation
The Thunder are currently $8.5 million below the first apron and $20.4 million below the second apron with their current team cap at $188 million (20th).
Placing them in the rare company of winning the championship while being a non-paying tax team.
Here’s a refresher of the rules and restrictions in this current CBA. Affecting what teams can and can’t do at the various aprons.
- Repeater Tax: The repeater tax is an increased luxury tax rate for teams that have paid the tax in at least three out of the four previous seasons. With the new rules intact, repeater penalties have a more significant impact. The higher a team’s payroll exceeds the tax line, the higher the tax rate becomes.
- First Apron: The first apron is a team salary threshold that triggers additional restrictions for teams exceeding it. Teams cannot use the full mid-level exception, take in more money than they send out in trades, or sign buyout players.
- Second Apron: The second apron is a team salary threshold set above the luxury tax line. Exceeding that line triggers additional and more severe restrictions. Includes all of the first-apron penalties. In addition, teams cannot use cash, trade exceptions from previous years, nor have access to the mid-level exception in free agency or absorbing contracts. When a team finishes a season exceeding the second-apron, its first-round pick seven years out becomes frozen, which means it can’t be traded. The team’s first-round pick automatically becomes No. 30 if the team remains in the second-apron for three of five years.
Potential Trade Targets
Santi Aldama
This move makes sense on paper. If the Memphis Grizzlies become sellers, the Thunder allowing Dieng to reset + the non-taxpayer midlevel exception + diving into their draft capital in exchange for the forward would provide much-needed size, depth, and scoring juice at the forward spot.
Aldama, being a jack-of-all-trades offensively (14 PPG + 35% from deep), would add quite the boost to the Thunder’s rotation. Replacing Dieng’s spot on the roster with Aldama, who signed a three-year, $52.5 million extension in June 2025, would serve as quite the upgrade.
Saddiq Bey
This would be more of a minor move compared to the other potential trades on this list, but it’s another move that makes sense on paper. Rerouting Dieng and sending a draft compensation package to acquire Bey would provide some insurance, as he would bolster the Thunder’s rotation as a physical 3-and-D wing.
Bey is averaging 15.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and is shooting 34.3% on 5.1 attempts. He is capable of defending multiple positions (one through four) and spacing the floor. His ability to hit open shots, attack closeouts, and bring physicality fills a specific need for the Thunder.
Splash Deal: Trey Murphy III
It would be a homerun for the Thunder. The odds of this move happening are slim to none. However, if the Thunder were to make this happen, Murphy would instantly provide scoring punch, floor spacing, size, and two-way versatility at the forward spot.
For this to happen, it would most likely take at least trading Lu Dort, or combining Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to make the salary work, plus first-round pick(s).
Murphy is averaging 21.9 points, six rebounds, and is shooting 36.9% from deep on 8.2 attempts. He would fit seamlessly into OKC’s system as a premier floor spacer and versatile defender.
Thunderous Approach
The concerns at this point are valid, as the Thunder have shown cracks despite being 38-10: the rebounding issues, a stagnant half-court offense at times, and an inconsistent shooting team.
It would come as no surprise if the reigning champs decide to stand pat and bank on getting healthy + internal development to overcome their lingering issues.
Final Verdict: Expect the Thunder to move on from Dieng for an experienced forward
Don’t rule out them joining in as a third team to help facilitate trades for additional draft capital down the road, because this is the Oklahoma City Thunder we’re talking about.
One thing we all know for sure. February 5th will be a defining day for the NBA.
Main Image: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
