Thunder Trade Rumors: $10.45 M scorer predicted to be ideal Shai Gilgeous-Alexander partner

The OKC Thunder are one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference after securing the No. 1 seed in the standings last season. They are on track to emulate the 2023-24 regular season, but some folks still think they might be a piece away from becoming serious championship contenders.

Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports pondered the options the Thunder might have to compete for the championship. On Thursday, he mentioned one player who could provide much-needed assist from distance in a potential playoff run: Cam Thomas.

"Some scoring support behind SGA would be a nice additive piece, just in case Williams doesn't become the man by the playoffs. Thomas hasn’t done zilch in the postseason, but he’s a bonafide bucket-getter who shines when given the opportunity," O'Connor wrote.

In addition, O'Connor mentioned Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans, Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers, John Collins and Collin Sexton of the Utah Jazz, Larry Nance of the Atlanta Hawks and Thomas' teammate Cam Johnson as other options for the Thunder.

O'Connor says that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing at an MVP level this campaign, but the team doesn't have a clear second star to accompany the Canadian guard. It's the rule that NBA champions have at least two stars to compete for a championship and OKC doesn't seem to have that.

It's unclear if Cam Thomas, whose contract pays him $10.45 million over four years, will be the answer to their questions, but he can provide more shooting and take over games, as he's shown in Brooklyn.

Cam Thomas hasn't played an NBA game since Nov. 25 against the Golden State Warriors. In 17 games played, he's averaged 24.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 46.1% from the field, including 38.9% from beyond the arc and 84.2% from the free-throw line.

OKC Thunder lost to Milwaukee Bucks in 2024 NBA Cup final

The OKC Thunder couldn't keep up with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 NBA Cup final game, losing 97-81 to miss out on the championship. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points, having a night off, but other than him, no other player scored 20 points for the Thunder.

If they plan to win a championship, having a solid second star will be mandatory for this team. Time will tell whether that player is on the team right now or if they'll have to explore the market.