The Oklahoma City Thunder lost basketball games to the same team on consecutive nights.
On Tuesday, the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Thunder, and on Wednesday, the Blazers did it again.
It’s not time to sound the alarms. It’s November. The Thunder will remain a championship contender no matter what happens in the short term.
It is notable, though — because OKC teams of recent vintage almost certainly wouldn’t have suffered such a fate.
It’s nothing against Portland, which looks rejuvenated with Damian Lillard back in the fold.
It’s just a feeling that this Thunder team is going to face some different challenges. Injuries have already ravaged their roster. What will they do to stay afloat?
They already made a minor trade to add Nique Clifford, but that’s not going to grab a lot of headlines. The concept that there could be more coming is something that’s worth considering.
OKC Thunder Trade Plans
ESPN published a new article on Thursday in which a variety of their writers consider what contenders could or couldn’t do in trades.
For the Thunder, patience seems to be the key word.
This is what ESPN’s Tim MacMahon wrote:
Presti will be patient. The Thunder addressed the need for defensive-minded wing depth by making a buy-low trade for 2025 first-round pick Clifford, parting with a pair of second-round picks to acquire a player who has two seasons remaining on his rookie deal. Oklahoma City will explore the market for opportunities to upgrade over the next few months, but a big splash would be a big surprise.
It’s not Presti’s style, as the Thunder haven’t made a major midseason trade since getting Kendrick Perkins in 2011. Yes, Presti has plenty of picks that could be used to put together a blockbuster deal. But he also has to prioritize future finances with the goal of keeping a contender-quality supporting cast around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander throughout his prime.
It’s definitely true that it doesn’t make sense to rush to any big moves. There’s so much unknown surrounding what this roster looks like in new roles but also when it might get healthy again.
Thunder Injury Trouble
It’s hard to even keep track of all the absent Thunder players. Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren are the big ones.
For the second Portland game, Ajay Mitchell was forced to sit out, too.
It has made the Thunder have to play with a variety of lineups they likely didn’t expect when the season began, but it’s the reality they’re faced with now.
OKC’s best hope is to stay afloat long enough to get a true assessment of their team, and then they can consider whether more moves are needed.
Thunder Trade Plans Revealed After Injuries, Back-to-Back Losses