Analyzing a Thunder Trade Package Centered Around a Backup Guard and Front Court Depth

Oklahoma City is off to a great start over the first half of the season. The young squad is tied for first in the Western Conference. At 32-14, the Thunder looks like a clear contender and a team that has the potential to make a run in the NBA playoffs. With the inexperienced roster and a few big holes, though, there's still a few ways to upgrade the team at the upcoming trade deadline.

The Thunder's inability to rebound has been a hold-up at points this season. It's hard to find fault though, because the five-out floor spacing with undersized big men is also a reason the team has won so many games. It's hard to guess how much a true back to the basket center would help considering the style and pace Oklahoma City plays with.

There also seems to be a lack of primary ball-handling off the bench. The Thunder could use another shot-creator to go with its slashing wings like Aaron Wiggins and knockdown shooters like Isaiah Joe.

ESPN offered a few trade hypotheticals ahead of the deadline, and a deal listed with the Toronto Raptors is certainly eye-popping. Here are the details:

Thunder receive: Jakob Poeltl, Dennis Schroder

Raptors Receive: Davis Bertans, Aleksej Pokusevski, Tre Mann, Aaron Wiggins, two first-round picks, two second-round picks

In the proposed trade, Oklahoma City seems to be giving up way too much. Wiggins is a player that's getting heavy minutes most nights and seems to be getting better and better. His efficiency and versatility off the bench is worth quite a bit on this Thunder team. Unless the package returned is worth way more value, he seems like a player the Thunder would want to hold onto.

Jakob Poeltl and Dennis Schroder would actually be quality adds for the Thunder, it's hard to argue against that. Poeltl is a great rebounder and a physical center off the bench that would help in most matchups. Schroder is an underrated point guard that has had a solid year in Toronto and would be a great bench piece for the Thunder.

Schroder was also a fan favorite in Oklahoma City and finished as the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award.

For the value of the proposed trade, though, this just doesn't seem like a deal Oklahoma City would entertain at all. Unloading Davis Bertans' salary plus two players that still have a sliver of value in Aleksej Pokusevski and Tre Mann makes sense. But adding two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a key bench player in Wiggins feels like way too much. 

If the Thunder could get Poeltl and Schroder for a cheaper price tag, it would be a solid move. But the proposed package would be simply mortgaging too much.