The Missing Piece: Avdija or Isaac completes the puzzle.

Hear me out. After much thought, this is it.

First, I ask you leave layperson fan emotions out of it. It’s true that Isaac’s personal opinions don’t align with many. But this is America. Where thankfully we are free to be weird. I mean, Kyrie thinks the Earth is flat and Dinosaurs are fake. But hey, this is about winning games. And basketball. The Magic don’t care, neither will the Thunder.

Now, down to brass tax. The Thunder have a ton of cap room. About $33MM plus the MLE. We have to put our best GM thinking hats on and consider the long-term financial health and sustainability of the team if we want any shot of coming close to getting inside the mind of his highness, Presti.

SGA, Chet, and J-Dub will all be on max contracts two seasons down the line. So the cap load can be Hauk Tuah’ed for two years, but there is no conceivable way 4 max players are carried on this team under the new CBA. So, it’s a two year rental if we blow the entire load on one player.

Now, I know this will be hard. But let Lauri go. It’s not happening. For multiple reasons. There is not enough balls to go around to feed him like he wants fed. On this team, he’d likely be the 3rd option in a 5-out offense. SGA, J-Dub, then Lauri. He’s not worth the 4 to 6 draft picks it’s going to take to get him for possibly a 2 year rental. He doesn’t enhance the odds of winning a chip like KD does. Leaving the salary cap concerns alone, he’s just not that good of a defender. Before you retort, arm yourself with stats, because I’ve studied them all. Again, I implore you, let it snow.

Next, let Hartenstein go. He prefers a long-term deal, which the Thunder are not willing to give due to the aforementioned cap dilemma. He also can’t shoot. Remember, 5-out offense. He also cannot switch or defend the perimeter. So, let him snow too.

With that said, IMO, there is only one scenario we use the max space on one player. That’s if KD can be had for mostly draft picks and salary filler (i.e., no player of real value is included). Why KD? He’s 35. In two years he’ll be 37. He may retire at that point. Or he may take a significant discount at that point to continue competing. He’s also the type of superstar worth a 2-year rental at worst, because the odds of getting a chip go up exponentially with him at the 4. His plays exceptional defense. He would be the primary scorer, not 3rd fiddle, due to his ball handling, play-making, and shot-creating. So yes KD, but no Lauri.

Ok, back down to earth. None of the above is happening. So what is needed? A switchable, athletic, wing who can defend the perimeter and help inside, while spacing the floor, passing, and perhaps grabbing some rebounds. Not too many of those guys around who are not due a max contract. But there are two. And they are both very gettable. Allow me to introduce to you Deni Avdija and Jonathan Isaac.

Both of them are affordable. Deni is on a front loaded 4-year deal and his team is in shambles. Isaac can likely be had for a similar contract as he will prioritize long-term security due to his injury history. And yes, Isaac has been injured. But by all accounts he is now healthy and ready to roll after corrective surgery. His Per 36 stats are drool worthy: 15 ppg, 10 rpg, and 37% from deep. Deni shoots 37% from 3 point land. Yes, one of these two is THE missing piece. Their cap hit works long-term. And they won’t cost too much. I’d take Deni for #12 plus two future FRPs, or Isaac for #12 and one future FRP. This is the way. Avdija or Isaac. Literally.