NBA Trade Rumors: 3 players the OKC Thunder should keep out of trade talks
Heading into the summer of 2018, many analysts had ruled the Oklahoma City Thunder out as contenders ahead of the 2018/19 season. The team were coming off of yet another first-round playoff defeat, and Paul George was widely expected to leave the franchise after just one year.
Nevertheless, the Thunder managed to convince PG13 to commit his peak years to the franchise, and the team was also able to acquire Dennis Schroder in return for Carmelo Anthony. These summer moves have worked wonders for the Thunder, and at the halfway point of the season, the team sits 3rd in the Western Conference standings with a record of 26-17.
Nevertheless, while the Thunder are currently in a strong position, general manager Sam Presti has a tendency for making surprise trades. With this in mind, here we will look at three members of the roster that the Thunder should keep out of trade talks as we head towards the February trade deadline.
#3 Raymond Felton
During the 2017/18 season, Raymond Felton proved to be a reliable back up option for Russell Westbrook, although the point guard has seen little game time for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. The addition of Dennis Schroder has relegated Felton to the third choice, although as we head into the trade deadline, the 34-year-old appears happy to remain in his current role on the team.
Felton is signed to a veteran's minimum contract, so his salary is not an issue for the Thunder, and the former Knicks man is also an experienced player to have in the locker room. If the Thunder were to suffer an injury to either Westbrook or Schroder, Felton remains a ready-made replacement, and it makes no sense for the Thunder to trade away a player that they will receive very little in return for.