Thunder interested in Alec Burks

The Cleveland Cavaliers have already been fairly busy ahead of the trade deadline. They have flipped George Hill, Kyle Korver, and Rodney Hood for seven draft picks, Alec Burks, John Henson, and Matthew Dellavedova. But the re-stocking of the cupboard doesn’t appear to be over.

While the latter two may get moved at a later date, Burks seems like the most likely Cavalier to be traded by Thursday’s deadline. Several teams have inquired on what it would cost to acquire the shooting guard, and now Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer is reporting that you can add the Oklahoma City Thunder to that list:

The Thunder are said to have interest in Burks as they scope out the market for a backup wing, according to league sources. Oklahoma City has a $10.9 million traded-player exception to use to absorb a salary.

It makes sense to try and get additional assets for Burks, and with the appearance of a bidding war for his services maybe the Cavs will be able to add another first-round pick.

Burks has played well for the Cavs, especially as of late. But unfortunately the NBA is a business and he doesn’t fit in with their future plans. Making him relocate himself and his family for the second time this season is sad from a human angle, however it’s likely in the best interest of both the team and for him, as he’ll likely end up in a better basketball situation.