The NBA trade deadline has passed and a lot of trades did not materialize. The main reason is the refusal to part with first round draft choices. However, at the end of the season, some teams will have to face bigger issues and take more drastic measures.

The value of a first round draft pick is still fluctuating, which made the  trades trickier to execute. There are at least 12 teams that are tanking right now, and some may have to tank by default due to injury(Washington Wizards) or simply accepting their fate (Cleveland Cavaliers). The mindset of 'We're not going to make it, might as well make the most of it" may soon prevail.

A team like the Oklahoma City Thunder has none of those problems. Having a player like Kevin Durant will make your team immune to that condition. In fact, OKC is lingering at the league's best record (it's so close, it changes hands almost every three days).

However, OKC's roster has some holes to fill. That is something they can't deny. While the same can be said of their rivals, the Miami Heat, they have three superstars (or at least two in general good health) to cover their deficiencies. For this year's playoff run in the cutthroat West, Kevin Durant will have Russell Westbrook's shadow at most.

Grantland's Zach Lowe reminds us that Westbrook has had three surgeries in the past year. It is not realistic to expect him to be 100% explosive by the playoffs. And, in the worst case scenario, he raises the idea of 'fake trade.' This is just a possibility, not a full rumor, but it is very intriguing:

From Grantland: "I am skeptical this will ever happen, because Westbrook and Oklahoma City are so good. But if it does, you could build an intriguing fake trade around Westbrook, Kendrick Perkins's expiring contract, and perhaps one other player asset going to Minnesota for Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic, and J.J. Barea. Such a deal is super-tricky, since both teams need to worry about next year's tax line, and the salary match is difficult. Oklahoma City would have to be confident in both Rubio's upside and his willingness to re-sign at a price that does not take the combined Rubio-Pekovic salaries too far above Westbrook's current salary slot. But think about it: Oklahoma City gets a pass-first point guard and a low-post scoring beast in need of a rim protector the Thunder already have. The Wolves get a second top-10 player for Kevin Love. Just throwing it out there."

In case it happens, that means OKC will let go of the multi-superstar paradigm of the Miami Heat and instead build the perfect supporting cast for the ultimate offensive player. For Minnesota, it will reunite him with UCLA running mate Russell Westbrook, another superstar who has extensive Playoff and even Finals experience (something Kevin Love only dreams of) and convince him to stay with the T-Wolves.

Who will win this trade if ever it happens? It's hard to determine, but the sure losers will be the Los Angeles Lakers!