Jan. 31, 2026, 3:01 p.m. CT
Less than a week remains until the NBA trade deadline. On Feb. 5, we’ll find out how much teams changed up their rosters for the home stretch of the season. It’s the last chance for contenders to add more pieces and for rebuilding situations to add more draft capital.
Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder sit atop the NBA standings, a mediocre month-plus has cracked open the door to a possible move. Specifically, what the offense looks like when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor.
Maybe everything will get fixed when the Thunder are fully healthy. But that’s not a guarantee, considering the injuries they’ve juggled all season.
All that said, Thunder Wire will list out four candidates for the guard, forward and center positions that the Thunder could target. Let’s look at four forwards:
1. Naji Marshall
After being a journeyman, Marshall has enjoyed a career season with the Mavericks. He’s averaged 14.7 points on 54.4% shooting, 4.9 rebounds and three assists. He’s a plus defender with solid size. The outside shooting is a little iffy. He’s only at 30.6% from 3 on 2.9 attempts. Not the greatest volume or efficiency.
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The fit is a little odd, but he’d be one of the better forwards. The Thunder value defense. Marshall plays well on that side of the floor while showing some on-ball juice this season. The 28-year-old should have zero problems fitting into OKC’s ecosystem. He’s been on plenty of teams where his role has been smaller.
2. Simone Fontecchio
Not the splashiest name, but Fontecchio is almost a guarantee to be moved. He’s one of those guys that joins a new team every season. He’s provided some decent depth for the Heat. He’s averaged 8.6 points on 40.6% shooting, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He’s shot 37.9% from 3 on 4.9 attempts. That’s the number that really sticks out if you’re OKC.
If you’re the Thunder, fetching Fontecchio shouldn’t cost too much. He’s solid depth that could be your third-string forward. The outside shooting is a plus. He’s not an awesome defender, but they should be able to hide him on the opposition’s worst scorers. This is a white bread choice, but something realistic.
3. Luke Kennard
If you’re looking for a quick fix on outside shooting, Kennard is a nice Band-Aid. He’s averaged 7.8 points on 53.1% shooting, 2.2 assists and 2.1 rebounds. He’s shot an unreal 48.9% from 3 on 3.2 attempts. Considering the rest of his career, those numbers are legit. No fool’s gold. The Hawks could be sellers. And considering he’s on an expiring deal, he’s the perfect candidate to be moved.
Of course, the defense will be a problem. That alone could knock him out of the conversation. But sometimes, you gotta compensate one side of the floor to help the other. Kennard has proven to be a contributor on several contenders. You can play him in the playoffs. As an end-of-bench guy, not much to complain about.
4. Svi Mykhailiuk
This would be a fun reunion from OKC’s tanking years. Mykhailiuk had a cup of coffee with the Thunder in 2021. Since then, he’s bounced around the league. Because the Jazz are tanking, he’s been a starter for them. But Utah has no long-term ties with the 28-year-old. He’s averaged 8.6 points on 46.5% shooting and 2.5 rebounds. He’s shot 37.7% from 3 on 4.5 attempts.
Once again, the outside shooting really sticks out. If Mykhailiuk can put up those numbers in Utah with constant rotation changes, he’d thrive playing alongside Gilgeous-Alexander again. His rapport with the Thunder should also help his case. The cost should be pretty low, too.