Oklahoma City Thunder: 5 players OKC should trade next

Danilo Gallinari, F

For years the Oklahoma City Thunder have needed shooters around their stars. Now they have the shooter, but the stars are gone.

Danilo Gallinari is an elite shooter and floor spacer. He shot 43.3 percent from 3 last season on over five attempts per game. He is the ideal type of forward to pair with Russell Westbrook. Obviously that reality doesn’t exist.

Gallinari made his way to Oklahoma City — via the Paul George trade — for two reasons; salary matching in the trade and his expiring contract.

A team embarking on a rebuild doesn’t need an injury-prone 30-year-old. Other teams do, however, and that is why Gallinari is valuable to the Thunder.

The NBA title seems more attainable than it has in years and teams across the league are engaged in an arms race to make a run at a title. As the season unfolds, teams will rise and fall due to bad fit, injuries and a plethora of other issues.

That is when Gallinari’s value comes through for Oklahoma City.

It’s safe to assume that a handful of teams will be looking to make “win-now” moves at the NBA’s trade deadline in February. Adding an elite perimeter shooter who is in his athletic prime — Gallinari — falls into that category.

If a trade deal is out there for him the Thunder would certainly pounce on it. It’s almost as if the full return for trading George won’t be complete until Oklahoma City inevitably re-routes Gallinari.

Could they get a first-round pick for him at the trade deadline, raising their total George trade package to six picks, two pick swaps and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?