FanHouse Damien Wilkins

The NBA isn't just made at Staples on Sunday afternoons under the lights, or in a Friday night showdown at the Garden. It's every night, players stepping up and making plays.

It's guys that will eventually be answers to trivia questions making huge shots that endear them and their teams to the hearts of young fans who first make a connection with this crazy, random, beautiful game.

The heroes aren't just the guys on posters and All-Star ballots, sometimes they are journeymen who show up every day, don't shoot a great percentage and get the job done.

Wednesday was Damien Wilkins' day.

The Oklahoma City Thunder aren't just getting a backup center in Etan Thomas, they are getting a much-needed bodyguard for rising star Kevin Durant. And that's a good thing.

According to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, the Thunder are close to acquiring Thomas from Minnesota in a trade for reserve guards Damien Wilkins and Chucky Atkins, neither of whom were expected to help Durant very much. The Thunder also will be getting a second-round pick in 2010.

Thomas went to Minnesota earlier this summer from Washington, along with the No 5 pick in the draft, as part of the deal that sent Mike Miller and Randy Foye to the Wizards.

LAS VEGAS -- The question for the Oklahoma City Thunder is whether premium free agents will want to play in a city with little NBA reputation. That question will loom large in coming years because the Thunder will have a satchel full of money and cap space to attract an All-Star caliber player to join Kevin Durant, James Harden and Jeff Green.

Until then, the Thunder will rely on the draft and clever moves such as the mid-season signing of Nenad Krstic and the acquisition of former lottery pick Thabo Sefolosha. Oklahoma City has one of the NBA's lowest payrolls -- although many critics would say that's due to the thriftiness of owner Clay Bennett -- and just $20 million committed to players after the 2010-11 season. But will any of those potential 2010 free agents -- a class that includes LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Dirk Nowitzki -- consider the Dust Bowl?