Patrick Williams to Thunder? Why Trading for Bulls Forward Might Be Costly for Thunder

No NBA offseason is complete without trade proposals, trade proposals and more trade proposals. 

Whether those trade offers are real, speculated, or purely for fun, the Oklahoma City Thunder aren't exempt from being involved, and in Bleacher Report's recent league analysis, it proposed one trade for every team.

And for the Thunder, which has numerous draft assets and young talent, the Chicago Bulls were listed as a potential trade partner in a move that would bring fourth-year power forward Patrick Williams to Oklahoma City:

Proposed Trade: 

CHI receives Kenrich Williams, Ousmane Dieng and 2026 first-round pick (via LAC)

OKC receives Patrick Williams

"Oklahoma City is playing the long game with its draft-and-develop strategy," the site wrote. "And nothing suggests this front office plans to speed things up. So, rather than flipping a chunk of its draft pick collection for a plug-and-play star, the Thunder might be better off investing in a young player who could grow with this nucleus." 

The logic behind this trade is solid. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in his prime and while he won't likely demand his way out of Oklahoma City, finding postseason success is certainly something the team wants to do in order to ensure his loyalty. The other thing to consider, however, is what the Thunder already have. 

Between Gilgeous-Alexander, rising star Josh Giddey, 7-foot-1 center Chet Holmgren and a slew of draft picks over the next several years, Oklahoma City sits in a good place. And Williams — who averaged a career best 10.2 points per game and and a combined mark of 1.8 steals and blocks per game — would make that better. 

"Williams offers th[e] kind of upside [that the Thunder need]," Bleacher Report explained. "He is already thriving in a three-and-D role, but he's shown flashes of creation and shot-making that suggest he could become something so much greater down the line." 

So, yes. Williams to the Thunder would make a for a strong addition to an already promising roster, but the main concern remains: how much would Oklahoma City have to give up. 

According to Bleacher Report, the Thunder would be losing two young talents in Dieng and WIlliams, along with one of its many first-round draft picks. That may not seem like a lot, especially considering the roster crunch currently facing Oklahoma City, but it does speak levels to the supposed value of Williams — who would need to outperform both Dieng and the Thunders' Williams to justify moving three pieces for him. 

That's a risk. Oklahoma City is no stranger to taking them, but considering how far it was able to get in the Western Conference for a roster that wasn't necessarily primed for a postseason appearance, it might not be a worthy risk. At least not for a still-young player with promising talent — which Oklahoma City has plenty of. 

Either way, it would make for an interesting lineup and rotation switch — the only thing left would be making a mock trade into a real one, which isn't necessarily at the top of the Thunder's to-do list at the moment.

 Only time will tell as the season draws nearer, however.