After reports linked New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a potential trade target following devastating injuries to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City is reportedly also considering Trey Murphy III. As the NBA world continues to speculate about OKC, including a potential Thunder reunion with Memphis Grizzlies' Ty Jerome, and a move with the Sacramento Kings, its GM Sam Presti has plenty of options.

However, trading with the Pelicans for Murphy III comes at a steep price, as ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst noted.

“If Presti does elect to pursue a deal, multiple executives identified the New Orleans Pelicans as a potential trade partner with defensive stopper Herb Jones or 3-and-D wing Trey Murphy III as possible targets,” MacMahon said. “The Pelicans have set a high asking price for Murphy in recent transaction cycles, making it clear that multiple first-round picks would need to be involved to pique their interest, according to league sources.

“Presti has a deep war chest of future first-round picks, but that has been true for years. He never engaged in discussions for that type of blockbuster deal while deliberately building this roster.”

“That's not who they are,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “I think they'd rather play their young guys and see what they have.”

A trade with the Pelicans for Trey Murphy III wouldn't just cost the Thunder future draft assets; New Orleans would need to send players in return to match salaries, whereas trading for Jones would be simpler by using one of their Traded Player Exceptions from their offseason salary-dumping moves.

However, Jones' extension kicks in 2027-28, which will put the Thunder in the second apron.

“The basketball fit for either Jones or Murphy is obvious after Oklahoma City lost two All-Defensive wings — months after sending All-Defensive wing Luguentz Dort to Atlanta in a cost-cutting move in the starting lineup and budget for Wallace. The financial fit? It is perhaps prohibitive for Murphy, who is making $27 million this season—a number that would require the Thunder to include a core player to match salaries in a trade—and is due $60 million over the next two years,” MacMahon adds.

“Jones doesn't make as much, but his money would also be problematic: $14.9 million this season before his three-year, $67.6 million extension kicks in.”

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Another potential option for the Thunder would be to acquire a younger player who's still on their rookie contract. A low-cost, high-reward deal could be Oklahoma City's most likely route, such as Kings' Nique Clifford, whom league executives have mentioned, according to MacMahon.

“One scenario the Thunder could explore is searching for a player who has years remaining on his rookie contract, which is the route Presti took to steal McCain from the Sixers last season,” MacMahon added. “One candidate suggested by a few league sources: Sacramento Kings wing Nique Clifford, who has bizarrely fallen out of coach Doug Christie's rotation after a promising rookie season.”

The Thunder will undoubtedly weigh all of their options within the next few weeks. With the regular season still in its infant stages, Presti is in no rush to make a trade before November.