NBA Trade Rumors: Steven Adams and Chris Paul expected to stay with the Thunder for the remainder of the season
What's the rumor
At 28-20, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been among the surprise packages of the season so far. However, while they are well on course to secure an unlikely playoff spot, there has been plenty of speculation regarding the futures of several of OKC's highest-earners.
After all, the Thunder are in rebuild mode after trading Russell Westbrook and Paul George last summer, although Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes it is unlikely that either Steven Adams or Chris Paul will depart ahead of the trade deadline:
Considering how costly Chris Paul is, it's hard to imagine anyone offering something valuable enough for OKC to move its leader. As for Steven Adams, he's likely more valuable as an on-court contributor than as a trade chip, and at 26 years old, he's young enough to keep around.
In case you didn't know...
Adams was selected by the Thunder with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, and the Kiwi has been a starter since his sophomore year. After impressing during the 2016 playoffs, Adams was rewarded with a four-year, $100 million contract extension - and the 26-year-old struck up a notable partnership with Westbrook prior to his departure last summer. Adams has taken on a more senior role this season, and despite playing a relatively low 26.8 minutes per contest, he has still managed to average 11.0 points and 9.4 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Paul joined the Thunder as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Westbrook to Houston during the 2019 offseason. It was initially believed that CP3 would be quickly traded to a contending team, although the 34-year-old has bought into OKC's ongoing rebuild, and is currently averaging 17.2 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per contest.
The heart of the matter
Paul has proved to be an excellent addition to an increasingly young OKC locker room, while the Thunder are under no pressure to trade Adams as he is contracted through the 2020-21 season. When combined with their expensive salaries, the influential duo is likely to remain with the Thunder until at least the summer, although it is possible that general manager Sam Presti could look to cash in on Danilo Gallinari before he hits free agency this summer.
What's next?
The Thunder will be looking to get back to winning ways on Wednesday as they take on the Sacramento Kings.