It appears the Oklahoma City Thunder rebuild has begun, only a year later than many expected. After dealing Dennis Schroder to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Danny Green and the 28th pick in the upcoming NBA draft, Thunder GM Sam Presti has fully committed to building around budding talent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a plethora of incoming draft picks by moving Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns to join Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton. Also headed to Phoenix is Abdel Nader, while Oklahoma City will receive Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first round pick in return.
The three-headed guard lineup of Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander and Schroder was the driving force behind a year of unexpected success for Oklahoma City, who finished with a record of 44-28 and pushed the Houston Rockets to 7 games in the first round of the playoffs, in a series where they were seen as the underdogs. The 2019/20 Thunder were also one of the most clutch teams in the NBA last season, with the Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander, Schroder, Danilo Gallinari and Steven Adams lineup proving deadly late in games. However, the ceiling for the roster as currently constructed was limited and the Thunder front office knew it; their chances of winning a title in the next few years were slim, particularly as Gallinari, another key piece of their rotation, is about to enter free agency and will likely attract a lot of interest from contending teams.
Also attracting plenty of interest from contending teams, such as the Bucks and Clippers, was Paul. The superstar point guard has spent the last year proving he still has a lot to offer despite his age and injury history, even garnering his ninth All-Star appearance. By cashing in on the veteran guard now, Presti has once again done what he does best: maximising the value of his assets. While this may be a step back in the present, the Thunder are in an unenviable position looking into the future, with their 50 million incoming first round picks.
Meanwhile, the Suns are on the rise and looking to build off the momentum of their 8-0 record in the Orlando NBA bubble by bringing in Paul. For a young Suns team lacking playoff experience, having one of the best leaders in the association join their ranks will be an immeasurable boost both on and off the floor. Whilst the loss of Oubre and Rubio isn't ideal, young wing Mikal Bridges is ready to step up and despite Rubio's tremendous playmaking talent, he’s no Chris Paul. Amidst rumours of Devin Booker’s unhappiness with the lack of team success, this was a necessary win-now move that the Suns front office hope will appease their young star and guarantee their first playoff berth since 2010. With the reigning champion Lakers, Kawhi-led Clippers and now injury free Warriors, the Suns are in for a battle every night in the loaded Pacific Division.
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