The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to push forward despite injuries to Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. That’s the deepest and most versatile team in the Western Conference, even without the big size or physicality of the interior. Center J-Dub is real, and OKC has more than enough two-way talent to keep this train chugging along full speed ahead.

One of the biggest offseason scams in recent memory was Sam Presti’s trade for Alex Caruso, in which he sacrificed infamous postseason flameout Josh Giddey for arguably the best perimeter defender in the NBA. Caruso’s impact has been felt deeply within OKC, averaging 1.7 steals in 19.5 minutes. He’s a bit buried in OKC’s deep backcourt, but eventually Caruso will start shooting again (.309/.219/.714), at which point the Thunder rotation may feel truly impenetrable.

Obviously, OKC wants to keep Caruso long-term after giving up a previous lottery pick, and that’s exactly what the front office plans to do. According to Jake Fischer from Bleacher Reportthe league is “bracing for” a new contract for the 30-year-old combo guard.

The exact figures of the deal are unclear, but the NBA’s rising ceiling (and OKC’s overall flexibility with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren on rookie contracts) could benefit Caruso. He’s the perfect role player for a contender, with sharp offensive processing, affordable 3-point shooting (most of the time) and a hellish appetite for stops on defense.

The Houston Rockets are tied for third in the Western Conference at 9-4 with a top-ranked defense and offense. This early success has come despite a rocky start for Alperen Sengun and the continued volatility of Jalen Green, who has fluctuated wildly between All-Star flashes and game-changing mistakes. Fred VanVleet hasn’t even played well. The Rockets win games by committee.

Two of the most impressive members of that committee are Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, who provide voracious defensive play on the second unit. In the meantime, Thompson is also starting to shine offensively. His speed in the open field, combined with a dynamic finishing package around the rim and a very advanced passing vision, make him a real treat to watch. It’s only a matter of time before he’s a regular starter in Houston.

As such, don’t expect Thompson or Eason to pop up in the trade rumors this season. Both are currently “off limits,” according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

The Rockets are clearly a candidate to add veteran help before the deadline, but don’t expect a blockbuster addition. Kevin Durant or Devin Booker’s dreams are on hold, and this group looks so incredibly skilled. Houston flies around on defense, moves the rock unselfishly on offense, and executes far more efficiently than your standard “young” team. Thompson and Eason are starters who masquerade as bench cogs, and Houston’s ability to stack so many contributors on cheap, rookie-scale contracts is a major asset in the long term.

If anything, the Rockets’ biggest additions this offseason could come in the form of internal promotions. For example, handing some of VanVleet’s minutes to the likes of Thompson or reigning No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard could pay dividends.

According to Jovan Buha, the Los Angeles Lakers are content to wait and see The Athletics. At 8-4, new head coach JJ Redick has comfortably positioned his team in postseason contention. Rather than rushing into a consequential trade, the Lakers will proceed with patience ahead of the February deadline.

“I thought they should have made a move at the 2024 trade deadline. I thought they should have made a move last season, so I’m in camp to make a move sooner rather than later,” he said (h/t Bleacher report). “But based on the information coming out of the Lakers side, information around the organization, information just from third parties, it looks like this is going to be a situation that drags out into January, if not closer to February. 6 trade deadline.”

That ‘situation’ of course involves beleaguered point guard D’Angelo Russell, who has already been removed from the starting lineup in the final year of his contract. That $18.7 million in expiring money should be a useful trade chip, but the Lakers will see how the landscape unfolds before making any changes. At least, that’s the charitable reading of the situation. Rob Pelinka sat on his hands all summer and refused to meaningfully improve the roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Perhaps this is just the latest iteration of LA’s unreliability as a contender.

The Lakers have the star talent needed to compete, but the supporting cast leaves a lot to be desired. The gang is in shambles, even as D’Lo now adds additional firepower to the second unit. Dalton Knecht and Max Christie continue to flash, but the Lakers need some stable veterans, especially behind AD in the frontcourt.

Pelinka has plenty of trade ammunition at his disposal, but don’t expect the Lakers to act with much urgency. Any meaningful additions will come a few months later, if ever.