PMOTT3 and Chuck Texas Early Off-Season Review: OKC Thunder

[bondom34]

The options OKC was willing to consider were Lopez and Kanter. That's very different from those being the only two possible options. OKC appeared to put scoring above all else in their consideration which was not how I would have made decisions.

I don't see how you can come to that conclusion given the assets used and what teams could use them. Yeah they wanted an upgrade on offense but not putting scoring above everything. The only other team that was pretty much confirmed interested in RJ was NY. And they had nothing to give.

RJ is irrelevant. He wasn't traded for Kanter. I don't know why you bring him up. He was dealt for DJ and Singler (given his low midseason value a reasonable deal).

That there was no one but Kanter or Lopez available for a 1st (with Perkins as EC filler for more expensive options) isn't reasonable though. While I can't say for certain exactly which extra bigs were options there were enough teams looking for an extra pick - especially teams that weren't in the playoffs - that OKC surely had many possible options. They just chose Kanter (with Lopez as a 2nd choice) from among their options.

If you think Perk and a first gets more than cap space, thats the problem. Because it doesn't.

[MoneyTalks41890]

The options OKC was willing to consider were Lopez and Kanter. That's very different from those being the only two possible options. OKC appeared to put scoring above all else in their consideration which was not how I would have made decisions.

I don't see how you can come to that conclusion given the assets used and what teams could use them. Yeah they wanted an upgrade on offense but not putting scoring above everything. The only other team that was pretty much confirmed interested in RJ was NY. And they had nothing to give.

RJ is irrelevant. He wasn't traded for Kanter. I don't know why you bring him up. He was dealt for DJ and Singler (given his low midseason value a reasonable deal).

That there was no one but Kanter or Lopez available for a 1st (with Perkins as EC filler for more expensive options) isn't reasonable though. While I can't say for certain exactly which extra bigs were options there were enough teams looking for an extra pick - especially teams that weren't in the playoffs - that OKC surely had many possible options. They just chose Kanter (with Lopez as a 2nd choice) from among their options.

Actually, for those of us who were tracking this like bloodhounds, all morning the day of the deadline OKC and Brooklyn were working on a deal around Perkins, PJ, Lamb, RJ for Lopez, min filler.

So RJ was very much a part of all this. Then at the last minute Kanter became available and OKC feverishly worked out the 3 teamer with Detroit wherein Utah got a meh prospect, ate Perkins' exp deal that everyone here was saying would take a 1st to move, and got a lotto protected first in the distant future.

We've already done this hypo before, but as someone who tracked all of this very closely, I can tell you there weren't other options on the table for that package. No rumors at all of other teams being interested, etc.

And of course OKC prioritized offense over defense. They have Adams and have been looking for a low post scorer for years. And if you think there were other options, much less a center on the table who was good in the post and a good defender for what OKC paid you are dreaming. They got an elite one super cheap because Utah didn't want to pay him. Yeah, his defense needs work, but if you watched any of Kanter's games with Russ you saw one of the deadliest PnR combos in the league and he's a monster on the offensive boards. He's basically TT for offense.

[Texas Chuck]

So RJ was very much a part of all this. Then at the last minute Kanter became available and OKC feverishly worked out the 3 teamer with Detroit wherein Utah got a meh prospect, ate Perkins' exp deal that everyone here was saying would take a 1st to move, and got a lotto protected first in the distant future.

Don't forget Utah dumped Novak in the deal. They actually saved a little money swapping him for Perkins since most of Perkins deal was already paid by OKC. So it was really the protected 1st for Kanter with Utah also clearing more cap space for this year(which ironically they don't seem too intent on using.)