How Five West Contenders Could Close the Gap on OKC at the Trade Deadline

Now's the time to strike

JJ Redick, Jarred Vanderbilt and Austin Reaves (top); Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green. (Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images/Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

While the Oklahoma City Thunder are solid favorites to win the NBA championship, they are no sure thing — oddsmakers put them at about 45% likely to win it all again. And as we saw last year when they needed seven games to prevail over the Nuggets and the Pacers, they can look vulnerable against top competition.

So here are five Western Conference teams that should be looking to make big moves at the trade deadline to compete with the Thunder, now and in the future:

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Denver Nuggets