Biggest need Thunder must still address in 2024 NBA offseason

07/07/2024 01:40 PM

The Oklahoma City Thunder made it to the playoffs during the 2023-24 season, but their performance in the postseason shed some light on what the team needs to add to their team in order to continue working on to take the next step forward.

That is in no way a bad thing, and their struggles in the playoffs are not a failure, as it is very rare for a team to come right out of the gate and win a championship in their first year of contention.

Realistically, expectations should've been set at zero for the Thunder's first postseason run. It’s not uncommon for a young team to need to learn and gain experience in a playoff atmosphere while also figuring out more about what they must improve to reach the top of the mountain on their next trip back. Now that they have that experience under their belt, though, it’s clear that there is one area in particular the front office needs to address before the offseason ends.

One flaw the Thunder still need to address

One area the Thunder struggled in during their time in the playoffs this past season was their isolation scoring. Aside from superstar shooting guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder couldn’t consistently create quality shots in isolation against tough defenses. Gilgeous-Alexander has elite shot-creation abilities, but he's the only player on the Thunder who can truly say that.

The rest of the team is talented, but they largely rely on ball movement and the team’s offensive system to create open looks. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and ball movement is something that should certainly be valued. However, teams must be able to score in isolation if they want to compete at the highest level and succeed in the postseason. This is why the Thunder desperately need another shot creator, and they must be aggressive in identifying this player and adding him to the roster before the upcoming NBA season begins.

Ideally, the creator that Oklahoma City adds will be able to play with both the starters and the bench unit. He'll be able to complement SGA in the starting rotation and take some of the pressure off the former Kentucky guard, but he'll also be able to run the offense effectively with the bench unit, thereby ensuring that the Thunder have players with the ability to create open looks on the court at all times.

Collin Sexton should be a top trade target for the Thunder

Given their desperate need for creation, the player that the Thunder should be targeting this off-season is Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton.

Sexton might be one of the most undervalued players in the entire league. He has developed a bit of an unfair reputation as an inefficient volume shooter, but the reality is that Sexton can be so much more than that for his team. Yes, he does rely heavily on volume to put up the counting stats that he does. However, Sexton's game is about much more than popular metrics such as points per game.

He's greatly improved his efficiency and can score with ease from beyond the arc and at the rim. Sexton doesn't go to his midrange game a ton, but when he chooses to play in the midrange, he's devastatingly effective. Sexton can leverage opponents’ respect for his driving ability and his threatening deep shot to get the defense off-balance and create space for a 12-to-17-foot pull-up jumpshot. He’s also an underrated and effective passer as well as a tenacious defender.

What does a potential trade for Collin Sexton look like for the Thunder?

The Thunder have accumulated a massive war chest of draft capital that general manager Sam Presti can leverage in trade negotiations. Presti didn’t have to give up any picks alongside Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso, but he would have to depart with some draft capital in a trade for Sexton. Given Danny Ainge’s reputation in negotiations, the Jazz would surely try to squeeze Oklahoma City in a deal, so Presti should be willing to cut off negotiations if the price gets too exorbitant.

Sexton is on an affordable $18.35 million contract in 2024-25 and will make just over $19 million in 2025-26. While the Thunder entered free agency with a lot of cap space, they used most of it on Isaiah Hartenstein, so they would have to send out enough salary to satisfy matching rules. Luguentz Dort and his $16.5 million is a clean fit, but if Oklahoma City wants to keep Dort, Presti has a few other players he could combine to match salary. Youngster Cason Wallace likely wouldn’t be on the table, but Kenrich Williams and Ousmane Dieng could be.

Then there’s the draft capital that would be attached. Ainge could push for multiple first-round picks, and perhaps Presti would be willing to accept that given he has so many available he simply has to consolidate at some point. While Sexton isn’t a star, he’s a good player who would bring an extra punch to the bench in a hybrid sixth-man role. If some combination of these assets can get Sexton, Presti should start popping the champagne as the Thunder get even more dangerous and make their case as a true title contender.

The post Biggest need Thunder must still address in 2024 NBA offseason appeared first on ClutchPoints.