BREAKING NEWS: Thunder have high odds to land former All-NBA star but must resist at all costs

BREAKING NEWS: Thunder have high odds to land former All-NBA star but must resist at all costs
The Thunder cannot fall for the trap!

The OKC Thunder are firing on all cylinders through 24 games into the 2024-25 season. Not only do they sport the best record in the Western Conference standings at 19-5, but, across the league, they also stack up as both the best defensive and two-way unit.

Yet, despite their elite on-court production and top-flight successes, there is always the belief that Oklahoma City still has some room for improvement.

What this path to refinement looks like is anyone’s guess, but, recently, odds-makers seem to believe that one course of action could be adding the likes of Brooklyn Nets point guard/ power forward hybrid Ben Simmons to their arsenal.

Per a recent report by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the ball club has “chosen to pivot towards a rebuild,” with sources telling him that the former All-Star is a trade candidate worth monitoring.

With this, the Thunder have the sixth-best odds (+750) to land Simmons, be it via a pre-deadline deal or in free agency after a potential buyout.

Now, though the concept of adding a former All-NBA talent at the prime age of 28 years old may seem to be an enticing scenario for a title-hungry club such as OKC, Sam Presti and company must resist the urge to do so at all costs.

OKC Thunder must not pursue Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons
On paper, a guy like Simmons addresses many areas of need for the Thunder.

In theory, his addition could provide much-needed size (6-foot-10, 240 pounds), distribution skills (7.4 assists for his career), rebounding abilities (7.4 for his career), and rim-protection (1.0 blocks per 100 possessions) to coach Mark Daigneault’s arsenal.

However, when it comes to the likes of Simmons, it’s important to view him off paper. When doing so, it’s overtly evident that he’s easily one of the biggest risks the league has to offer.

Once a jump shot away from realistically being in the conversation for the best player in the NBA, since the 2020-21 campaign the veteran has become a financial eye-sore and an offensive liability.

Currently making a whopping $40.3 million this year despite having suited up for a mere 133 games out of a potential total of 342 over the past five seasons, time and time again Ben Simmons has showcased somewhat of a phobia of looking at the basket for a scoring opportunity (averaging just 5.1 field goal attempts per game since 2022-23).

This is a key factor in realizing the disturbing fit for the baller within this Thunder scheme, as they desperately could use another point-getter off the bench considering they rank a lowly 22 in second-unit points per game with 32.6. Without hesitation, this description is the exact opposite of what one would classify Simmons as.

Now, having a big-bodied passer could be seen as a luxury for this rotation if not for the fact that they already have the likes of Isaiah Hartenstein who, though obviously not as fluid and flashy of a distributor, comes with a much less risky injury history and at a far more palatable pay scale.

Perhaps the one interesting angle about pursuing a guy like Simmons is the fiscal impact it could have on the Thunder, as he’s an expiring contract and would help clear up a ton of money ahead of extension negotiations for guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.

However, the idea of coughing up any substantial assets to cut future funds when they already are boasting the 11-lowest payroll heading into next year could be highly questionable.

Frankly, despite the odds-makers suggesting Oklahoma City has a serious chance of adding the former All-Star in Ben Simmons, when just quickly analyzing the idea of this hypothetical scenario it becomes clear that at the very best it would be an unnecessary move to make, and, at worst, a schematic disaster.