Where can OKC trade Melo?

[Andre Roberstan]

What's your planned trade to improve the Thunder?
Aren't you already in the tax?
Nance and Randle are young improving pieces. Randle could possibly replace what Sabonis was going to be for OKC. He shouldn't be expensive <15M, maybe far less.
Do you expect to get a better, more complementary player than kcp to come play with Westbrook with your coming cap space?
Deng seems worthless but would be worth 2 picks which are potential gold with Presti as GM.
(Deng plays hard if nothing else)

I play hard too, but no one is even offering me a 10-day contract.

Look, I like Nance and Randle and KCP. And I'm a big fan of getting picks. But if you're doing this deal, you had better be trading Westbrook, because eating 17mil a year of dead salary for picks is not a move a contending team makes. It's what a tanking team does. Because good luck improving the team with $22mil of boat anchor a year between Singler and Deng.

I'm not saying value is a problem. The problem is direction.

I don't necessarily disagree with you but that's also why I would need to know who you would be looking to trade for realistically that's available. Who's a better complement to Westbrook in theory than PG13? No one comes to mind.
Do you currently consider this team a contender?
What's needed to be one?

I mean, the title of the thread is "Where can OKC trade Melo", not "Where can OKC trade PG13". I don't think Melo's the only problem, but he's one of the most obvious and maybe the easiest to address. If they can get him to buy in and not be what he's always been there's still a chance, but I don't think that'll happen. So I think it starts with him.

Simplistic scheme, inconsistent energy, lack of useful depth, Westbrook turning into a potato, and no one on our roster being able to hit open shots they've hit their entire career are all issues too. I don't know what OKC is right now. I don't know if they know themselves. But internally they haven't given up yet.

[rugbyrugger23]

Rockets. Maybe all this LBJ to Rockets talk is real. Rockets brass would have to get a strong indication that Melo in efforts to get the banana boat together, would opt out and re-sign for dollars that would allow LBJ and Paul to sign new contracts as well (with Wade signing for some kind of minimum or exception).

With that said, Rockets got a good thing going. Not sure he want to rock the boat.

Melo + Ferguson for Anderson + Tucker (Tucker contract is really starting to look bad)

Rockets in offseason can trade Gordon for cap space and some kind of rookie or asset.

Melo & LBJ & Paul all take 1+1 to form Banana Boat team (Wade on minimum or exception to be 6th man). Capela re-signs after the Banana boat crew joins team.

Capela
Melo
LBJ
Harden
Paul
6: Wade

That's not true at all. Dude has been major for our defense.

I get on a team with only 4 loses liking one roles players, I just don't see any way Tucker (being his basic stats, advance stats or even eye test) doesn't make any team receiving him in trade cringe when looking at his 3 year 24mil (+ 2mil NG 4th year) contract. And for Rockets, having a expensive role player that could hinder huge FA plans, is also a negative -- more so for a player who will be 33 in season and 36 or 37 when they are done paying him.

[bwgood77]

I can't believe teams would still want Melo. I can't believe Houston seemingly wanted him so bad. Anderson may be overpaid but he fits their team and system a hell of a lot better than Melo would.

Houston has beautiful ball movement. Melo is never involved in that sort of thing.

[CBA]

Rockets. Maybe all this LBJ to Rockets talk is real. Rockets brass would have to get a strong indication that Melo in efforts to get the banana boat together, would opt out and re-sign for dollars that would allow LBJ and Paul to sign new contracts as well (with Wade signing for some kind of minimum or exception).

With that said, Rockets got a good thing going. Not sure he want to rock the boat.

Melo + Ferguson for Anderson + Tucker (Tucker contract is really starting to look bad)

Rockets in offseason can trade Gordon for cap space and some kind of rookie or asset.

Melo & LBJ & Paul all take 1+1 to form Banana Boat team (Wade on minimum or exception to be 6th man). Capela re-signs after the Banana boat crew joins team.

Capela
Melo
LBJ
Harden
Paul
6: Wade

That's not true at all. Dude has been major for our defense.

I get on a team with only 4 loses liking one roles players, I just don't see any way Tucker (being his basic stats, advance stats or even eye test) doesn't make any team receiving him in trade cringe when looking at his 3 year 24mil (+ 2mil NG 4th year) contract. And for Rockets, having a expensive role player that could hinder huge FA plans, is also a negative -- more so for a player who will be 33 in season and 36 or 37 when they are done paying him.

This is a weird post. Tucker is making $8 million; that's not expensive for a role player. Also he turns 33 in May 2018. At no point in his contract will he be 36.

[brackdan70]

to tor for ibaka

I love this

[rugbyrugger23]

That's not true at all. Dude has been major for our defense.

I get on a team with only 4 loses liking one roles players, I just don't see any way Tucker (being his basic stats, advance stats or even eye test) doesn't make any team receiving him in trade cringe when looking at his 3 year 24mil (+ 2mil NG 4th year) contract. And for Rockets, having a expensive role player that could hinder huge FA plans, is also a negative -- more so for a player who will be 33 in season and 36 or 37 when they are done paying him.

This is a weird post. Tucker is making $8 million; that's not expensive for a role player. Also he turns 33 in May 2018. At no point in his contract will he be 36.

8mil might not be expensive for certain role players but for what Tucker is providing, yes it is. Maybe not to Rockets (filed under worth more to us then you because we signed him for only dollars we had) but valued stacked against other role players, he is expensive bang for buck role player.

Let's do age counting for you:
17/18 Season= 33
18/19 Season= 34
19/20 Season= 35
20/21 Season= 36 (his 2.6 mil option year)
So yes he will be 36 and getting paid on his contract (probably by Rockets).

[nykballa2k4]

The answer is "no where"
With the NTC, the only places I see Melo willing to play would be Houston and Cleveland.

Rockets would basically have to offer Anderson + player
Anderson + Gordon: Rockets never do this
Anderson + Ariza: Paul won't sign off, Ariza is his buddy
Anderson + Tucker: No way OKC comes near this

Cavaliers, assuming that Cavs won't part with Love and OKC wants no part of TT with Adams already there/
Basically left with some combo of Shumpert, JR, Frye, Korver, Crowder with Osman and Zizec as incentives.
In other words, come tomorrow, Shumpert, Frye, Korver and one of Osman/Zizec would probably be the only package Melo will bring back. Does that really make OKC any better?

Real solution: trade Donovan for Mark Jackson.

[CBA]

I get on a team with only 4 loses liking one roles players, I just don't see any way Tucker (being his basic stats, advance stats or even eye test) doesn't make any team receiving him in trade cringe when looking at his 3 year 24mil (+ 2mil NG 4th year) contract. And for Rockets, having a expensive role player that could hinder huge FA plans, is also a negative -- more so for a player who will be 33 in season and 36 or 37 when they are done paying him.

This is a weird post. Tucker is making $8 million; that's not expensive for a role player. Also he turns 33 in May 2018. At no point in his contract will he be 36.

8mil might not be expensive for certain role players but for what Tucker is providing, yes it is. Maybe not to Rockets (filed under worth more to us then you because we signed him for only dollars we had) but valued stacked against other role players, he is expensive bang for buck role player.

Let's do age counting for you:
17/18 Season= 33
18/19 Season= 34
19/20 Season= 35
20/21 Season= 36 (his 2.6 mil option year)
So yes he will be 36 and getting paid on his contract (probably by Rockets).

He's making less than Roberson, J.R. Smith, Wilson Chandler and Moe Harkless; the same as Livingston, CJ Miles, and Rudy Gay. His contract is commensurate with other key rotation players on other playoff teams.

And he won't be 36 until May 2021, a year his contract is mostly non-guaranteed.

It's okay for you to admit to being wrong...

[7-12-52]

As a Portland fan I wouldn't want Melo at any price. We are already at the tail end of the league in assists. The idea of adding Melo to our roster is gross.

[K_chile22]

I get on a team with only 4 loses liking one roles players, I just don't see any way Tucker (being his basic stats, advance stats or even eye test) doesn't make any team receiving him in trade cringe when looking at his 3 year 24mil (+ 2mil NG 4th year) contract. And for Rockets, having a expensive role player that could hinder huge FA plans, is also a negative -- more so for a player who will be 33 in season and 36 or 37 when they are done paying him.

This is a weird post. Tucker is making $8 million; that's not expensive for a role player. Also he turns 33 in May 2018. At no point in his contract will he be 36.

8mil might not be expensive for certain role players but for what Tucker is providing, yes it is. Maybe not to Rockets (filed under worth more to us then you because we signed him for only dollars we had) but valued stacked against other role players, he is expensive bang for buck role player.

Let's do age counting for you:
17/18 Season= 33
18/19 Season= 34
19/20 Season= 35
20/21 Season= 36 (his 2.6 mil option year)
So yes he will be 36 and getting paid on his contract (probably by Rockets).

8 mil a year for a high end bench player is totally fine. He's shooting 37.5% on three's with a .711 3PAr, averaging nearly 7 boards per 36, has a +7.2 on/off, is 16th among SF's in RPM, can credibly play 3-5, and is a borderline elite defender. Toronto was offering him more money over 3 years than the Rockets did over 4 (and some of it is non guaranteed). In today's NBA where versatile wings are key, getting off of Tucker is the last of my concerns if they have to. Teams would line up for him.

[rugbyrugger23]

This is a weird post. Tucker is making $8 million; that's not expensive for a role player. Also he turns 33 in May 2018. At no point in his contract will he be 36.

8mil might not be expensive for certain role players but for what Tucker is providing, yes it is. Maybe not to Rockets (filed under worth more to us then you because we signed him for only dollars we had) but valued stacked against other role players, he is expensive bang for buck role player.

Let's do age counting for you:
17/18 Season= 33
18/19 Season= 34
19/20 Season= 35
20/21 Season= 36 (his 2.6 mil option year)
So yes he will be 36 and getting paid on his contract (probably by Rockets).

He's making less than Roberson, J.R. Smith, Wilson Chandler and Moe Harkless; the same as Livingston, CJ Miles, and Rudy Gay. His contract is commensurate with other key rotation players on other playoff teams.

And he won't be 36 until May 2021, a year his contract is mostly non-guaranteed.

It's okay for you to admit to being wrong...

Where am I wrong? It ok that you said: "At no point in this contract will be 36." But yet I spelled it out to you that in fact he will. And yet you won't admit you are wrong.

[CBA]

"PJ Tucker is a really expensive role player"

"Uh, no he makes as much or less than other players in his role across the league."

"PJ Tucker will be 36 or 37 when the Rockets are done paying him."

"Uh, no he doesn't even turn 35 until the end of his last guaranteed year."

[Andre Roberstan]

Real solution: trade Donovan for Mark Jackson.

Yes, Mark Jackson, vaunted ball movement coach who definitely doesn't cause locker room problems and divide your front office from your players

[Andre Roberstan]

Houston has beautiful ball movement. Melo is never involved in that sort of thing.

*ahem*

http://stats.nba.com/teams/passing/?sort=PASSES_MADE&dir=-1

[rugbyrugger23]

"PJ Tucker is a really expensive role player"

"Uh, no he makes as much or less than other players in his role across the league."

"PJ Tucker will be 36 or 37 when the Rockets are done paying him."

"Uh, no he doesn't even turn 35 until the end of his last guaranteed year."

It your opinion he is not expensive -- it is mine he is. So NOT wrong! You are wrong!

The last year of Tucker's contract he will be paid 2.6mil (or more if they pick up his option) -- he will be 36 that season/year. How don't you see that???

[basketballwacko2]

At this point, the Clippers for Gallo but that's a real long shot.

I don't know why they would want Gallinari he's hurt all the time and he's $20 million a year. I don't see him putting OKC over the top either.

[bwgood77]

Houston has beautiful ball movement. Melo is never involved in that sort of thing.

*ahem*

http://stats.nba.com/teams/passing/?sort=PASSES_MADE&dir=-1

I stand corrected.

[basketballwacko2]

Chandler + Faried for Melo

That makes some sense send him back to Denver for a home coming.

[jbk1234]

At this point, the Clippers for Gallo but that's a real long shot.

I don't know why they would want Gallinari he's hurt all the time and he's $20 million a year. I don't see him putting OKC over the top either.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to suggest it would fix everything. It's just the only plausible deal I see. Maybe Ryan Anderson and the Rockets but if you're the Rockets, and things are going as well as they're going, do you want to upset the apple cart? Portland for something around Evan Turner? He's only going to waive to go to three or four teams and how highly are those three or four teams going to value him at this point?

[basketballwacko2]

I'll quote myself from the other thread.

Nobody wants Melo.

The tough part is his NTC, and his huge contract. Tell me what you think of this. Carmelo, Ferg, and Huestis for Carmelo, Beverly and Brice Johnson. The Clippers aren't gonna resign Johnson, and Beverly is out for the season. They get 2 young players in the deal and I think LAC is one of the few places Melo waives the NTC to go to.

DAJ is probably gonna opt out of his contract and will likely leave the Clippers if they don't trade him.

The Thunder get a yound PF that they could resign cheap next summer and Beverly who they could buy out for his final year or keep on a cheap contract. They get DAJ for a Run at the play offs with the Twin towers of Adams and Jordan making them the best defensive team in the NBA. They might be able to resign DAJ but if he leaves it doesn't kill you.