The Thunder Obtained Šarić and Future Consideration
At the February 9, 2023 deadline, Oklahoma City obtained veteran forward Dario Šarić from Phoenix, along with roughly $1 million in cash and a future 2029 second-round draft asset. The Suns received Darius Bazley in the exchange. Oklahoma City was building a young roster and could use an experienced frontcourt player for the remainder of the season. Phoenix was adjusting depth around a separate, much larger roster transformation. This was a stand-alone two-team swap, and its assets should not be collapsed into any other deadline trade involving the Suns.
Šarić Supplied a Short Thunder Veteran Stint
Šarić joined Oklahoma City as a forward who could move the ball and stretch the floor with outside shooting. His stint was brief rather than a multiyear starting role, but the club received actual NBA minutes from him after the agreement. Those games are distinct from his earlier Phoenix recovery from injury and his subsequent career stops. The Thunder also held cash and a future conditional asset, allowing the team to realize some financial and draft flexibility even if the veteran did not stay long. Evaluating those three incoming pieces together captures why the trade made sense.
Phoenix Took a Chance on Bazley's Athletic Profile
Phoenix acquired Bazley as a younger forward with NBA experience and defensive versatility, hoping he could add reserve depth around its established stars. He did not become the defining frontcourt presence in the Suns' next postseason, and his later team movements must be separated from this initial opportunity. The Suns did not obtain a new first-round draft choice or immediate cash consideration in this trade. Their direct return consisted of one player whose ceiling depended on finding a usable role. That was a credible depth gamble, but it offered less flexibility than Oklahoma City's player-plus-assets package.
The Cash and Draft Right Favor Oklahoma City
The original slight Thunder edge is defensible because Oklahoma City received a veteran it could actually use, financial consideration and a future second-round asset. Phoenix obtained a player with a developmental possibility that did not become a long-term foundation for the club. Neither return was large enough to explain either franchise's subsequent fortunes, and the 2029 selection should not be turned into a named prospect years before its verified final conveyance. A moderate advantage to Oklahoma City accounts for more types of incoming value while keeping both players' actual team-specific appearances in view.
Final Verdict
Slight Oklahoma City Thunder Edge. The Thunder earn B for Dario Šarić's brief veteran minutes, approximately $1 million and a future 2029 second-round asset. Phoenix receives C+ for Darius Bazley's reserve opportunity. The protected future choice isn't credited as a drafted player, and Šarić's later NBA seasons outside Oklahoma City don't inflate this February 2023 outcome.