Before the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder made a huge trade, shipping out star James Harden to the Houston Rockets for a package headed by Kevin Martin. Heading into this week's trade deadline, that still looks likely to be the deal that ultimately defines the 2012-13 season for OKC.

While the Thunder lost one of the league's absolute best players in dealing away Harden, the team has maintained its status as a title contender through the impressive efforts of star players Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka.

That has the team feeling pretty good about its roster, despite the fact that starting center Kendrick Perkins continues to be one of the least efficient players in the league statistically. The Thunder have shown that they value Perkins' on-court efforts differently than others.

The team could still discuss some of its lesser players, including Reggie Williams, Eric Maynor and rookie Perry Jones III, but OKC has been one of the league's best teams with what it already has. Just days before the deadline, it doesn't appear that there's any reason to believe that'll change.