3 Oklahoma City Thunder trade targets to keep an eye on in 2025-26 NBA season

Markkanen has blossomed into one of the league’s premier stretch-forwards, combining size, mobility, and elite 3-point shooting. At 7 feet tall, he spaces the floor like a guard while still rebounding and defending multiple positions. For Oklahoma City, the fit would be seamless.

Defenses would be forced to respect his shooting gravity, pulling bigs away from the rim and opening up driving lanes for Jalen Williams and SGA. Holmgren would benefit too, with more space to roll, pop, or attack mismatches.

Offensively, Markkanen’s ability to create shots for himself adds another wrinkle. In late-game scenarios where the Thunder sometimes default to SGA isolations, having Markkanen as a secondary go-to scorer could diversify their attack. Defensively, while he is not an elite rim protector, his length and mobility allow him to thrive in the Thunder’s switch-heavy system.

Jarrett Allen: The interior enforcer for a repeat run

If Markkanen is the luxury addition, Jarrett Allen represents the stabilizer. Oklahoma City’s greatest weakness remains its interior defense and rebounding against elite Western frontcourts. Last postseason, Holmgren held his own admirably, but asking a 23-year-old center to anchor the paint alone against the likes of Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokić, and Domantas Sabonis is asking too much.

Holmgren’s frame and versatility are better suited to roaming, switching, and using his length dynamically rather than banging against traditional centers possession after possession.

That’s where Allen becomes invaluable. The Cleveland Cavaliers have long faced the dilemma of Allen overlapping with Evan Mobley, and if they lean toward building fully around Mobley, Allen could become available. For the Thunder, he would immediately provide elite rim protection, rebounding, and interior toughness. His ability to run the floor and finish lobs would mesh perfectly with Oklahoma City’s transition-heavy style, while his screen-setting would open up even more room for SGA and Jalen Williams to operate.

A Holmgren-Allen frontcourt would be terrifying defensively. Holmgren could slide into more help-defense roles, hunting blocks and creating chaos on the perimeter, while Allen handles the physical battles inside. This tandem would give the Thunder the type of defensive versatility that championship teams are built on, with the ability to counter any matchup in the postseason.

Financially, Allen is on a manageable contract for a player of his caliber, and Oklahoma City’s flexibility means they could absorb him without jeopardizing their long-term cap structure. The Thunder already have the skill and shooting; Allen would bring the muscle and presence to ensure their title defense holds up against the league’s best big men.

Malik Monk: The sparkplug sixth man who can change games

Sometimes, a defending champion doesn’t need another star but rather a high-level role player who can swing playoff games. That’s exactly what Malik Monk could provide for Oklahoma City. Coming off his resurgence with Sacramento, Monk has established himself as one of the league’s premier bench scorers: a guard who can come in, heat up instantly, and take pressure off starters in critical stretches.

For the Thunder, Monk represents something they currently lack: a consistent second-unit shot creator. While Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Ajay Mitchell bring defensive energy and secondary skills, they aren’t players who can carry an offense for five or six minutes when the stars sit. Monk has shown time and again that he can deliver those scoring bursts, particularly from beyond the arc. His fearless style and ability to score in bunches would give the Thunder’s bench a new dimension.

The fit also works in terms of playoff rotations. In big series where defenses sell out to stop SGA, the Thunder need a microwave scorer who isn’t afraid to take tough shots. Monk has thrived in those situations, and his chemistry with dynamic guards makes him a natural complement to Gilgeous-Alexander. He could even close some games as part of a small-ball lineup, providing the shooting and playmaking that keeps defenses honest.

Unlike Markkanen or Allen, Monk wouldn’t require the Thunder to part with significant draft capital. Sacramento has shown an openness to reshaping its roster, and Oklahoma City could easily offer a package of role players and picks to make the deal happen. For a team as deep as the Thunder, adding Monk as a bench weapon might be the kind of subtle move that keeps their championship edge sharp.

Will OKC top the West again?

The Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves in a rare and enviable position: they are already champions, already young, and already locked into a future with three max-level stars. Yet in the NBA, standing still often means falling behind. In a Western Conference loaded with contenders hungry to dethrone them, Oklahoma City has to consider what kind of midseason moves could keep them ahead of the curve.

For Presti and the Thunder, the message is simple: the dynasty window is open now, and with the right trade, Oklahoma City could not just defend its title but cement itself as the NBA’s next great powerhouse.