Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott traded to Thunder in deal involving Cameron Payne

The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded point guard Cameron Payne to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for forwards Doug McDermott, Taj Gibson, and a 2018 second-round pick, according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania. The Bulls also receive sharpshooter Anthony Morrow and reserve forward Joffrey Lauvergne.

Chicago has had strong interest in Payne as a point guard for the future, according to CSN Chicago’s Vincent Goodwill. He averaged 5.3 points and two assists through 20 games with the Thunder this season. Payne and Morrow join a crowded Bulls back court lacking perimeter scoring with Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, Michael Carter-Williams, and Jerian Grant.

The deal gives Oklahoma City a much needed shooter in McDermott, who averaged 10.2 points with the Bulls on 37.3 percent three-point shooting, to flank Russell Westbrook as they climb the competitive Western Conference standings.

It also provides an athletic, high-energy rim protector and serviceable power forward in Gibson to support the Thunder frontcourt until Enes Kanter returns from breaking his arm on a chair.

Gibson, though, turns 32 in June and becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Oklahoma City passes on Payne as a potential point guard down the road, but it gets a quality perimeter scorer and shooter in McDermott to add around a team built on Westbrook’s ability to penetrate the lane.

The Thunder pick up a veteran, battle-tested enforcer in Gibson, who joins Steven Adams as an interior presence in the team’s frontcourt. He is a capable power forward with shooting range out to 20 feet, who sets hard screens and can finish at the rim.

Gibson does not need the ball to make an impact, something vital on a team run by Westbrook. He averaged 11.7 points and led the Bulls with seven rebounds per game.

Chicago is crowded at the point guard, but Payne shines as a young prospect the team can potentially incorporate into its future. His season was delayed by an acute fracture in his right foot, but Payne showed much promise in limited minutes as Westbrook’s backup last season.

The Bulls also take in Morrow, a heralded sharpshooter who is enduring the worst three-point shooting season of his career.

Morrow is a career 41.7 percent three-point shooter, and the thought is he’ll find his stroke at some point this year. But his .294 clip from downtown had been a nightmare on a Thunder team desperately needing to space out the floor for Westbrook.

Chicago also adds a stretch-ish four in Lauvergne, who shot 34.6 percent from downtown in limited minutes with the Thunder.