The Thunder may not be finished shopping, and the latest twist in New Orleans could give them another team to watch closely.
Even after landing Nique Clifford from the Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City is still expected to keep an eye on the market. That matters now because Friday brought a major development with the Pelicans: 2022 NBA All-Star Dejounte Murray has requested a trade out of NOLA.
That request lands against a backdrop of growing talk about unrest inside the Pelicans’ locker room. On its own, it involves one player.
But around a struggling team, one move can turn into something bigger fast. If Murray’s exit pushes New Orleans toward a long-overdue, full-fledged rebuild in 2026-27, this trade season could turn into a fire sale in the bayou.
If that happens, Oklahoma City should be ready to pounce on the supporting cast.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon recently said the Thunder “will explore the market” for upgrades this trade season, but shouldn’t be expected to make “a big splash.” That points toward a different kind of move: not star hunting, but targeting useful role players who fit cleanly into the roster.
That’s where the Pelicans become relevant. There’s been a long-running connection between OKC and several of Murray’s teammates in New Orleans. Trey Murphy III has been the most frequently mentioned name and has already been identified as a top target for Sam Presti and company this season.
Other possible fits include veterans Herbert Jones and Saddiq Bey.
All three would make sense for a Thunder team dealing with an injury-hit start and thin wing depth. Each has shown he can help on both sides of the ball, which makes them the kind of pieces Oklahoma City could value if New Orleans starts breaking things down.
And the Thunder have the ammo to make a deal work. They own seven tradeable first-round picks and 19 second-rounders, along with young players such as Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber. That kind of stockpile could be exactly what a rebuilding Pelicans team would want if it starts moving pieces out.
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Clippers Face A Different Thunder Test Depending On One Rising Scorer
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Mitchell has become an important secondary scorer for Oklahoma City, especially with Jalen Williams still sidelined. If he can go, the Thunder get another creator who has helped steady the offense when the rotation has been stretched. If he cannot, the burden shifts again to a group that has already had to absorb plenty of absences, and the matchup with Los Angeles changes with it. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Frontcourt Suddenly Faces A Real Test During Injury Stretch
Isaiah Hartensteins comments after Oklahoma Citys loss to Portland landed with the kind of blunt honesty that usually comes when a team is trying to solve problems on the fly. The Thunder are working through an injury stretch that has forced the frontcourt into constant adjustment, and with key pieces unavailable, the burden has shifted toward finding workable combinations and a little more versatility from the bigs who are still standing.
For Hartenstein, that means adapting alongside rookie Aday Mara while the Thunder keep moving from one game to the next with little practice time to smooth things out. Oklahoma City has leaned on frontcourt pairings before, and the challenge now is finding another one that can hold up quickly enough, especially with the LA Clippers next on the schedule and the margin for error getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Just Gave Thunder Fans A New Look At Him
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is showing a different side of himself away from the floor, stepping in as a guest editor for Spotify and curating a new playlist that reflects his taste beyond basketball. The project, first released on Nov. 12, is built around a hip-hop-heavy mix and pulls from both emerging and established artists, giving Thunder fans a small window into the sounds that shape his world.
The playlist is set to be refreshed monthly, which makes it more than a one-off novelty and more like an ongoing look at the guards musical leanings. Gilgeous-Alexander also opened up about his influences and the way he approaches music before games, adding another layer to the profile of a player whose style and personality continue to stand out in Oklahoma City. [Read more 🡒]