NBA Trade Rumors: Oklahoma City Thunder willing to trade Steven Adams, Danilo Gallinari, and Chris Paul
What's the rumor?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have made a better than expected 11-12 start to the season, and Billy Donovan's team is currently well in contention for a playoff spot. However, Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer is reporting that the Thunder remain open to offloading the experienced trio of Steven Adams, Danilo Gallinari, and Chris Paul.
OKC remains a playoff contender even after trading Westbrook and Paul George last offseason... Despite their moderate success, plans haven’t changed; (Chris) Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams, and other veterans are all available, according to league sources.
In case you didn't know...
Paul and Gallinari arrived in Oklahoma City during the offseason as part of the respective trades for Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Through 23 appearances, CP3 has averaged 16.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.7 steals - while Gallinari is averaging 18.3 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 40 percent from three-point range.
Meanwhile, Adams was selected by the Thunder with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft, and the Kiwi has been an important starter for the team since the 2014-15 season. The-26-year-old has played 20 times this season, averaging 10.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
The heart of the matter
Despite OKC's solid performances this season, it appears that the front office is still fully focused on a rebuild, and Adams, Paul, and Gallinari are among the Thunder's biggest earners. Due to this, it likely that at least one of the experienced trio will leave ahead of the trade deadline - and Gallinari, in particular, could attract plenty of interest due to his three-point shooting and expiring contract.
What's next?
The Thunder will be looking to pick up a fourth consecutive win tomorrow night as they take on the Sacramento Kings.