With the official trade-deadline rapidly approaching, Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti again worked his magic.
In a deal to solidify Oklahoma City’s main weaknesses, reserves Cameron Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne, and Anthony Morrow were traded to the Chicago Bulls for starting power forward Taj Gibson and sharpshooter Doug McDermott —plus a 2018 second-round pick.
Rumors abounded since early Thursday morning that Presti had been eyeing Gibson (11.6 ppg, 7 rpg, 55 starts); however, McDermott’s inclusion (10.2 ppg, 37.6% 3PM, 24.5 mpg) proved to be a most welcome surprise.
With McDermott in tow, Russell Westbrook now has a reliable floor-spacing threat to ease lane congestion for he and bruiser Steven Adams.