The OKC-Memphis trade that both teams (reluctantly) need to make

— -- A year ago Thursday, the Cleveland Cavaliers were a disappointing 19-16 when they sent two first-round draft picks to the Denver Nuggets for center Timofey Mozgov. While the deal was widely considered an overpay, the Cavaliers certainly had no second thoughts when they reached the NBA Finals less than five months later.

Mozgov's presence alone didn't turn around Cleveland's season. The Cavaliers also added guards Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith in an earlier trade with the Knicks and saw LeBron James return to his usual level of play after taking two weeks to rest at the start of 2015. Still, Mozgov's size erased Cleveland's biggest weakness, rim protection, which proved crucial during the playoffs.

Thunder wings bring 3 or D, but not both

Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City's first-year head coach, has a number of options at shooting guard, all of them with contrasting strengths and weaknesses:

• Starting shooting guard Andre Roberson is one of the league's best wing defenders, but he's shooting just 28.3 percent from 3-point range, and that's a career high.
• Reserve shooting guard Anthony Morrow is one of the NBA's best shooters, making 41.9 percent of his 3s this season, but a poor defender.
• Sixth man Dion Waiters has the most scoring ability of the group, but he isn't a particularly good spot-up shooter, making 31.9 percent of his 3s this season, near his career mark of 32.5 percent, nor is he a good defender, with a minus-2.7 defensive rating by ESPN's real plus-minus (RPM) that  ranks 80th among shooting guards.
• Kyle Singler, a small forward by trade who started at the position when Durant was injured last season, has slumped to 22.9 percent beyond the arc this year and has a 2.1 PER.

In a league obsessed with so-called 3-and-D players who offer both spot-up shooting and individual defense on the wing, the Thunder don't have anyone who fits the bill. That sets Oklahoma City apart from other contenders. The Cavaliers have Shumpert, the San Antonio Spurs have  Danny Green (plus Kawhi Leonard, who has evolved out of the role into a star) and the Golden State Warriors have a handful of two-way contributors on the wing, led by Andre Iguodala.

That might be acceptable if the Thunder's wings excelled on one side of the court or the other, but that's not the case. None of Oklahoma City's options have positive ratings in RPM. Roberson leads the group at 1.4 points per 100 possessions worse than an average player.

Roberson's defense is good enough that the Thunder's starting five can compensate for his non-shooting. In fact, Oklahoma City's starters have the best net rating of any lineup that has seen at least 200 minutes of action this season, outscoring opponents by 19.7 points per 100 possessions,  according to NBA.com/Stats.

But the fourth quarter is a different story. Because of his shortcomings as a shooter, Roberson has played just 55 minutes in the final period this season, and the Thunder's fourth-quarter offensive rating dips from 110.9 to 101.7 when he plays. Instead, Donovan has favored Waiters.

Even if Waiters plays well, however, Donovan's reluctance to use Morrow and Roberson down the stretch has made it more difficult for Oklahoma City to go small with Durant at power forward, a likely counter against a team like the Warriors, should they meet in the playoffs.

Lee the premier 3-and-D trade target

The bad news for teams like the Thunder in the market for 3-and-D contributors is that few will be available before the trade deadline. Among lottery-bound teams likely to be sellers, there are just a handful of 3-and-D options.

Lee is a much more attractive option. Though he has struggled beyond the arc this season, shooting 33.0 percent, that's not reflective of Lee's true ability. He surpassed 40 percent from 3-point range last season and has made 38.2 percent of his career 3s. And at 6-foot-5, Lee is a quality wing defender who has the ability to guard any of the three perimeter positions. Add in a reasonable $5.7 million salary in the final year of his contract, and Lee is an ideal fit. Except for one problem -- he's probably not on the market.

After all, the Grizzlies surely still consider themselves contenders. At 18-17, they're sixth in the Western Conference and barely a year removed from having the West's second-best record at the 2015 All-Star break.

Keep in mind that the Nuggets didn't want to trade Mozgov either. As ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported, Cleveland's front office had been pursuing a deal since the previous summer. It was only when the Cavaliers were willing to offer a second first-round pick -- one acquired from Oklahoma City for Waiters, in an odd twist -- that Denver was willing to move Mozgov.

Because the Thunder gave up a pair of first-round picks last season, the other going to the Utah Jazz as part of the deadline deal that brought Singler to Oklahoma City, the team doesn't have many draft picks to offer Memphis. The earliest the Thunder can give up a pick would be 2020, contingent on those other protected first-rounders conveying. In addition to a distant first-round pick, Oklahoma City could sweeten the deal with a young player already on their roster. Second-year center Mitch McGary, buried in the rotation this season after he was productive in limited minutes as a rookie, could help the Grizzlies.

Memphis would have to consider an offer of McGary and a pick, plus little-used veteran Steve Novak, necessary to match salary, for Lee. That would be great value for a 30-year-old shooting guard who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, especially if the Grizzlies are realistic about their long odds of winning a playoff series this season with a worse point differential (minus-2.6 points per game) than the 14-20 Sacramento Kings (minus-2.0).

I'd be surprised if the Thunder were willing to offer so much for Lee. Doing so would represent a departure from their careful roster management. Sam Presti has been willing to deal first-round picks only for players young enough to grow with Oklahoma City's core, such as Waiters and Enes Kanter.

If the Thunder are going to threaten Golden State and San Antonio to win the West before Kevin Durant hits unrestricted free agency, however, dealing for Lee represents their best chance to close the gap with those teams, no matter the cost.