The Oklahoma City Thunder clearly need center depth after the injury of Chet Holmgren. It would make sense for them to take a low risk chance on a guy that could be traded for relatively cheap and start immediately.
One name that might fit this criteria is Miami Heat center Omer Yurtseven. The Thunder front office is already familiar with the Turkish big, who was on a training camp deal in Oklahoma City once upon a time.
Last season with the Heat, the 7-footer produced 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in just 12.6 minutes per contest. With Miami having a center rotation of Bam Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon, Yurtseven will likely be in a very small role once again this season.
A 24-year-old prospect, he would likely get many more minutes in Oklahoma City given the lack of center depth. Additionally, he would be a solid backup center upon Holmgren’s return and could also pair alongside him in certain lineups.
While the Thunder shouldn’t trade a large package of assets for Yurtseven, a smaller deal would be well worth it if Miami would be open to it. Perhaps swapping young prospects plus trading the Heat back one of their second-round picks could be a starting point.
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Theo Maledon is a guy that is already buried in the guard rotation in Oklahoma City and could use a fresh start. He’s still just 21 years old and was nearly a first-round pick just two years ago. He stands at 6-foot-5 and has shown some flashes of being a quality NBA player.
This type of deal would all come down to Miami’s willingness to part ways with Yurtseven. He’s due for a new contract after this season and also is third-string on the depth chart. This would avoid the Heat having to pay the 7-footer after this season while also getting two assets in return.
Miami Receives: Theo Maledon and Heat’s 2023 Second-Round Pick (Currently owned by OKC)
Oklahoma City Receives: Omer Yurtseven
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