⭐️ 1 Trade Target for Every Contender - Tom's Title Tiers #16
Who should each title-hunting team go after at the trade deadline? (Besides Giannis)
With the trade deadline fast approaching, it’s time to fill some holes on contender rosters to optimize their title chances. I have hand-selected one player for all 15 title contenders. Without repeating anyone’s name. I could just put Giannis for every team, but what’s the fun in that!?
Welcome to another edition of Tom’s Title Tiers! A reminder: This is my subjective list based largely on objective data. This is not a pure, analytical ranking. You’re here because you want to know what I think, to get inside my brain a little bit. Consider this a weekly report of what I see on film; what I glean from the numbers; what I hear on the phone; what I read in the news; what I feel.
A reminder that teams are listed within each tier in alphabetical order, not in order of strength. Here’s a quick rundown of each tier:
Tom’s Title Tiers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a complete team, no notes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just missing that one thing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ One move away from being one move away.
⭐️⭐️ So much has to break right.
⭐️ Sooo you’re saying there’s a chance.
Who should go after Giannis the hardest? Who should OKC target on the marketplace? Can Zion help someone? Where should MPJ go? What should Houston do?
Let’s get to it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a complete team, no notes.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Last week’s rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Record: 39-11 | 117.8 aORtg (5th), 106.9 aDRtg (1st), +10.9 aNet (1st)
Trade Target: Coby White
First it was Alex Caruso. Now it’s Coby White. Let’s revisit the OKC-Chicago pipeline, shall we? I love White’s game for a contender who needs to punch up the offense. If I’m OKC, I make a play for White, who can score in bunches and . Ousmane Dieng and Philly’s 2026 first-round pick would do it. It wouldn’t hurt to also check in on Nikola Vucevic’s price.
