Oklahoma City Thunder Reportedly Interested in Tony Allen

With defensive stalwart Andre Roberson going down for the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been hapless on the defensive side of the ball and are eyeing Tony Allen as a potential replacement entering the stretch run of the season.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Bulls management — between now and the trade deadline on Thursday — will be working to move the veteran guard who was recently acquired in a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans.

In fact, with league sources indicating that talks centered on Robin Lopez have intensified and also that the Bulls and Thunder have discussed at least Tony Allen’s expiring contract, management will be busy between now and Thursday’s trade deadline. [Chicago Tribune]

In the trade that sent Allen to the Windy City, the Bulls also acquired Jameer Nelson, Omer Asik and a first-round draft pick. However Allen never joined the team amid reports that he would be waived, and the Tribune reports that the expectation is that he will be waived if he’s not traded by Thursday’s deadline

Allen is on the back end of a one-year expiring deal and could be a throw-in piece to a large-scale trade, or simply a pawn in a small-scale transaction trade that would likely boost the Thunder’s defensive profile … if he’s able to stay healthy.

If OKC can’t work out a deal to trade for the former Oklahoma State guard, it could simply put in a waiver wire request if he gets cut and isn’t dealt by the Bulls before the trade deadline.