Injuries derailed the Oklahoma City Thunder's title defense last season, and they threaten to do the same to their revenge tour.
A brutal week of injuries has sidelined three key starters for the Thunder — Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren — prompting calls for immediate roster reinforcements. One potential trade target is New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III, currently in the second year of a four-year, $112M deal.
Advertisement
Thunder Trade Target: Trey Murphy?
According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the Thunder may target either Herbert Jones or Trey Murphy to fill the void left by Williams, Wallace and Holmgren.
"If [Sam] Presti does elect to pursue a deal, multiple executives identified the New Orleans Pelicans as a potential trade partner with defensive stopper Herb Jones or 3-and-D wing Trey Murphy III as possible targets," MacMahon reported.
"The Pelicans have set a high asking price for Murphy in recent transaction cycles, making it clear that multiple first-round picks would need to be involved to pique their interest, according to league sources.
Advertisement
"Presti has a deep war chest of future first-round picks, but that has been true for years. He never engaged in discussions for that type of blockbuster deal while deliberately building this roster."
Thunder Trade Idea Lands TMIII
A hypothetical Thunder trade idea doing the rounds would see the Pelicans receive veteran center Isaiah Hartenstein, Nikola Topic and a pair of first-round picks.
Thunder would receive:Trey Murphy III
Pelicans would receive:Isaiah Hartenstein, Nikola Topic, 2027 first-round pick (via DEN), 2027 first-round pick (via SAS)
It's worth noting that the potential trade can't go down until Dec. 15
since Hartenstein signed a three-year $75M extension this summer.
Advertisement
Why the Thunder Do It
The emergence of rookie center Aday Mara gives the Thunder the flexibility to consider trading Hartenstein. A center rotation featuring Mara, Jaylin Williams and second-year big Thomas Sorber should keep the defense afloat while Holmgren recovers, keeping him on track for a holiday return.
"The basketball fit for either Jones or Murphy is obvious after Oklahoma City lost two All-Defensive wings — months after sending All-Defensive wing Luguentz Dort to Atlanta in a cost-cutting move motivated primarily by the desire to create room in the starting lineup and budget for Wallace," MacMahon wrote.
Why the Pelicans Do It
The Pelicans have reportedly placed a high price tag on Murphy, seeking multiple first-round picks for a player they deeply value. Under this proposed package, New Orleans receives two first-rounders, a proven starting center in Hartenstein and a high-upside prospect in Topic. While introducing Hartenstein could exacerbate a crowd in a frontcourt that already features Yves Missi, Derik Queen and Karlo Matkovic, the Pelicans shouldn't have trouble rerouting him. Given his strong league-wide trade value, the German would command plenty of interest for future assets.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post OKC Thunder Linked to Trey Murphy Trade Amid Injury Woes
appeared first on HEAVY
.
