The Oklahoma City Thunder had a roster talented enough to take them to the second round of the Western Conference in the last playoffs. Now they have added Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls and Isaiah Hartenstein from the New York Knicks, which makes them a championship contender. However, a former 2016 champion believes the OKC is still one move away from creating the “perfect” roster that can bring them a title. What is this move? Who is that one person OKC should look out for? 

General manager Sam Presti was the first to make a blockbuster move this offseason, by trading Josh Giddey for an elite two-way star, Alex Caruso. On top of this, he did not include a single first-round pick or a second-round pick in the trade, which stunned many. Do not forget that the OKC has 15 first-round picks and 22 second-round picks. 

After witnessing Hartenstein’s impressive display in the playoffs for the Knicks, the OKC signed the big man for a 3-year $87 million deal, who will soon start as a center. This takes a huge load off Chet Holmgren, who can now play the forward position. Anyhow, Cleveland Cavaliers champion Richard Jefferson believes Hartenstein alone cannot get the job done. 

“Love OKC. Still think they need another big. Even a backup to Hartenstein, that’s what I’m saying. They are a championship-caliber team. That means that they are going to possibly go against Jokic… The only thing I’m saying that is Hartenstein is a good big… A little bit more big and they have the perfect roster,” said Jefferson. 

NBA free agents who can be a perfect backup for Hartenstein

The options for a big man in the free agent market are quite limited for the OKC. But, they can use their bench to make a solid trade. A few players that the OKC might show interest in are Isaiah Stewart from the Detroit Pistons and Robert Williams III from the Portland Trailblazers. With the assets that the OKC has, Williams and Stewart are possibly the only two centers they can afford.

Coming to the free agent market, there is Daniel Theis who played for the LA Clippers, Precious Achiuwa who played for the Toronto Raptors, and Dario Saric who was with the Golden State Warriors. Who will be the perfect fit for OKC from the above free agents?

It is unlikely that the Thunder will land Saric because he has already played for them in the 2022-23 season. Also, he is a forward. Achiuwa might be the most suitable option, as Sam Presti is known for bringing young talent into the team. Moreover, Achiuwa is a very flexible big man, which makes him a great fit for them. 

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video: