THUNDER SEND:
PF Derrick Favors,
SG Josh Giddey,
PF Darius Bazley,
Any combination of 17 first round picks between 2022-2026
JAZZ SEND:
SG Donovan Mitchell
The Thunder are an intriguing option given their treasure trove of draft picks, cap space, and desire to develop a young core. They have 19 first round picks over the next 5 years (NINETEEN!) and could outbid anyone in the Association. We’ve seen draft pick-heavy trades in recent history (James Harden and Paul George come to mind), but we simply don’t know where Utah’s priorities reside when it comes to preferring draft picks vs known commodities. While in Boston’s front office, Ainge famously both hoarded first round draft picks as well as held tightly onto his young players in trade negotiations.
At some point, OKC will have to decide how to use those first-rounders; they cannot field a team of 19 players younger than the legal drinking age. They could see this as an opportunity to consolidate those picks into a 25-year-old bona fide star.
Considering the Thunder don’t have many large contracts or valuable pieces outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (who likely isn't going anywhere), the deal would have to include several players being jettisoned from Oklahoma to make the money work, likely to include Derrick Favors and young stud Josh Giddey, along with a handful of those aforementioned draft picks to make up for the lack of talent being returned.
WHY IT WON’T HAPPEN:
The question would be if OKC values Mitchell (who’s small for a shooting guard at 6’1) enough to part with several of the draft picks they've accumulated when they already feature Gilgeous-Alexander – a 6'6 shooting guard and a star in his own right.
This potential trade also does not take into account that a move to Oklahoma City would likely cause Mitchell to grow even more disgruntled considering his very public desire to compete for a championship, which the Thunder do not appear suited for in the foreseeable future.
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