OKC Thunder Trades and Transaction Thread

[The Servant]

Lively has been killer for Mavs, they really brought some good role playing defenders and lob threats for Luka and Kyrie and its been enough. Lively would have been a difference maker but I think Cason would be on par value wise if he was on a team without such a log jam. I still think he is Giddey's replacement when they ship him + picks and hope to get a player of Lively's caliber in return.

[cjmcallist]

Do we have a generally shared view of potential trade or free agent targets? Would be fun to come up with a 'definitive OKC forum list'. I'm also curious to know if we're mostly aligned on targets and cost. I don't know if some of these players are even on the market, but here's my first stab;

Priority One (rough cost):
-Lauri Markkanen (#12, 3 best FRP + Dieng) or (Dieng, Giddey + 3 lesser FRP), renegotiate and extend LM (4years $198m)
{big gap}

Priority Two (rough cost):
-Mikal Bridges (#12, Dieng, 2 prot. FRP) or (#12 + Giddey)
-Deni Avdija (Giddey) or (#12 + 1 FRP)
-John Collins (Top 20 prot. FRP) or (2 SRP)
-Jonathan Isaac & Wendell Carter Jr. (#12, Giddey, Joe, 1 FRP)

Priority Three:
-OG Anunoby (trade Dieng for 2 SRP somewhere, sign at $178m for 4 years)
-Robert Williams (4 SRP)
-Kelly Olynyk (4 SRP)

Any I'm missing, or any of the values way off?

[Dadouv47]

Do we have a generally shared view of potential trade or free agent targets? Would be fun to come up with a 'definitive OKC forum list'. I'm also curious to know if we're mostly aligned on targets and cost. I don't know if some of these players are even on the market, but here's my first stab;

Priority One (rough cost):
-Lauri Markkanen (#12, 3 best FRP + Dieng) or (Dieng, Giddey + 3 lesser FRP), renegotiate and extend LM (4years $198m)
{big gap}

Priority Two (rough cost):
-Mikal Bridges (#12, Dieng, 2 prot. FRP) or (#12 + Giddey)
-Deni Avdija (Giddey) or (#12 + 1 FRP)
-John Collins (Top 20 prot. FRP) or (2 SRP)
-Jonathan Isaac & Wendell Carter Jr. (#12, Giddey, Joe, 1 FRP)

Priority Three:
-OG Anunoby (trade Dieng for 2 SRP somewhere, sign at $178m for 4 years)
-Robert Williams (4 SRP)
-Kelly Olynyk (4 SRP)

Any I'm missing, or any of the values way off?

Looks fine to me but value isn't enough for Mikal Bridges (and likely not enough for Lauri either). Ultimately we don't have premium assets for Utah/Brooklyn and that's a big issue.

I would rather get Mikal Bridges than Lauri but I'm clearly in the minority. Just don't trust Lauri health long term.

[Bremzi]

I feel like OKC has enough wings tbh. The gap from Bridges to someone like Dort or Wiggins isnt as big as people think. I think OKC just needs more size and not with persons who had knee surgeries (eg RWiliams, Adams).

A realistic young center target is Claxton or Allen. If possible, get Clingan or alternatively Edey. Clingan fits that Andrew Bogut mold that really helps with possesions amd he is a good passer.

Either of Mikal/Lauri/PG has a long term tie to it and the realistic thing is that SGA will probably want to be extended at 70-80mil per year after 3 seasons. OKC just cant offer a longterm max to another person I think. And they sure as hell arent trading major assets for a measly 2 year situation and then losing that player. I dont think they will trade Dort and it just doesnt work cap wise, unless you get a maximum three year for someone and ship Giddey. Either way, rookie bigs will be needed as well because thats the only cap controllable scenario longterm.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Do we have a generally shared view of potential trade or free agent targets? Would be fun to come up with a 'definitive OKC forum list'.

The off-season OKC fans deserve:

Draft night: #12- Edey

TRADES:

Dieng and 2025 Utah 1st to NOLA for #17. NOLA has two FRP and and will likely not be in love with two prospects at #17 and #19. They get a pick in 2025 in exchange for giving OKC a pick now. They hope Dieng can become Jerami Grant 2.0, which is his absolute ceiling and he is unlikely to ever be that good, but he might become a decent rotation player. OKC selects Tristan Da Silva.

Giddey and Kenrich Williams to Utah for #29 and #32. Utah can surround Giddey with shooting. They add a solid rotational piece in Williams. OKC gets a pair of picks and are arguably giving very good value to Utah here, but there is a method to this madness. OKC selects Chomche at #29 and has him play in Europe next year to develop. OKC selects Enrique Freeman at #32.

OKC buys another 2nd round pick and selects Bronny James. A 6'1 prospect with a 6'7 wingspan who plays good defense and showed at the combine he can shoot. A very Presti type of prospect.

FA- OKC signs LeBron James. They cleared the space to give him his max contract. OKC is the only contender that can give James a max contract and more rings help his legacy. James gets to lay claim to winning a title with four different franchises and after OKC wins back-to-back he catches MJ with 6 rings to make his argument for being the best to ever play. He'll only convince himself that this is true, but that is the only person that matters in his world. He also gets to be petty and laugh at KD for winning in OKC when KD couldn't. He also gets to be the first father/son duo in NBA history and could be the only father/son duo in NBA history to collect rings together. I heard a rumor from someone in the NBA world that there is actually some rumblings of this happening. I'm not sure how reliable this person actually is, but I'm running with until at least the draft. If OKC drafts Bronny I'm going to consider it done and if they don't I'm still going to give it some chance of happening until July 1st when LeBron signs elsewhere.

Non-tax MLE is used to sign Jalen Smith.

SGA/Cason/Bronny
Dort/Joe/Waters
JDub/Wiggins
LeBron/Smith/Freeman
Chet/Edey/Jaylin

Toss in a vet minimum for the 15th spot and you have a championship roster.

[cjmcallist]

Looks fine to me but value isn't enough for Mikal Bridges (and likely not enough for Lauri either). Ultimately we don't have premium assets for Utah/Brooklyn and that's a big issue.

I would rather get Mikal Bridges than Lauri but I'm clearly in the minority. Just don't trust Lauri health long term.

Valid point on Lauri's health.

I also understand the point on a 'premium' asset. However, that's not been the m.o. of All Star trades over the last 5 years. The team trading for Proven All Star X doesn't usually have such a premium asset. Houston could be an exception to that this year.

In theory, we could get Bridges and another player. I might prefer that approach over anything else anyway.

[cjmcallist]

Do we have a generally shared view of potential trade or free agent targets? Would be fun to come up with a 'definitive OKC forum list'.

The off-season OKC fans deserve:

Draft night: #12- Edey

Giddey and Kenrich Williams to Utah for #29 and #32. Utah can surround Giddey with shooting. They add a solid rotational piece in Williams. OKC gets a pair of picks and are arguably giving very good value to Utah here, but there is a method to this madness. OKC selects Chomche at #29 and has him play in Europe next year to develop. OKC selects Enrique Freeman at #32.

OKC buys another 2nd round pick and selects Bronny James. A 6'1 prospect with a 6'7 wingspan who plays good defense and showed at the combine he can shoot. A very Presti type of prospect.

FA- OKC signs LeBron James.

Non-tax MLE is used to sign Jalen Smith.

SGA/Cason/Bronny
Dort/Joe/Waters
JDub/Wiggins
LeBron/Smith/Freeman
Chet/Edey/Jaylin

Toss in a vet minimum for the 15th spot and you have a championship roster.

Great post!

Really against Edey, but only from a philosophical perspective. I've watched approximately zero minutes of him, but would much rather use the #12 on a guard/wing or trade it for a starter(ish) player. Too many Cameron Payne types made their way through the last iteration of the roster.

I mean, sign me up for LBJ. That would bring a circus, but would be a lot of fun. If we have to give away Kenrich and Giddey to get him in, then I'd do it. Though, hopefully we could get more than that for Giddey.

[Dadouv47]

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[Dadouv47]

Looks fine to me but value isn't enough for Mikal Bridges (and likely not enough for Lauri either). Ultimately we don't have premium assets for Utah/Brooklyn and that's a big issue.

I would rather get Mikal Bridges than Lauri but I'm clearly in the minority. Just don't trust Lauri health long term.

Valid point on Lauri's health.

I also understand the point on a 'premium' asset. However, that's not been the m.o. of All Star trades over the last 5 years. The team trading for Proven All Star X doesn't usually have such a premium asset. Houston could be an exception to that this year.

In theory, we could get Bridges and another player. I might prefer that approach over anything else anyway.

yeah I'm just worried we couldn't beat a Jalen Green + pick #3 for Mikal Bridges type of offer despite the amount of picks we could send. It would be stupid from Houston but they would have done it at the last deadline. Same issue with pick #1 offer from the Hawks.

Mikal Bridges or another guy, I also would rather have two very good players than a star/superstar. I think we have enough upside with our big 3 and we don't have to make a huge risk on a player like Lauri and instead take two very good players that will contribute and help our guys. Main issue is that we still need a good PF and it's very hard to find and that's the reason why Lauri is so appealing despite my worries about his health, next contract and cost to acquire.

...and that's also why I would understand a KD trade despite the fact that I would rather win without him.

[Big nick]

Do we have a generally shared view of potential trade or free agent targets? Would be fun to come up with a 'definitive OKC forum list'.

The off-season OKC fans deserve:

Draft night: #12- Edey

TRADES:

Dieng and 2025 Utah 1st to NOLA for #17. NOLA has two FRP and and will likely not be in love with two prospects at #17 and #19. They get a pick in 2025 in exchange for giving OKC a pick now. They hope Dieng can become Jerami Grant 2.0, which is his absolute ceiling and he is unlikely to ever be that good, but he might become a decent rotation player. OKC selects Tristan Da Silva.

Giddey and Kenrich Williams to Utah for #29 and #32. Utah can surround Giddey with shooting. They add a solid rotational piece in Williams. OKC gets a pair of picks and are arguably giving very good value to Utah here, but there is a method to this madness. OKC selects Chomche at #29 and has him play in Europe next year to develop. OKC selects Enrique Freeman at #32.

OKC buys another 2nd round pick and selects Bronny James. A 6'1 prospect with a 6'7 wingspan who plays good defense and showed at the combine he can shoot. A very Presti type of prospect.

FA- OKC signs LeBron James. They cleared the space to give him his max contract. OKC is the only contender that can give James a max contract and more rings help his legacy. James gets to lay claim to winning a title with four different franchises and after OKC wins back-to-back he catches MJ with 6 rings to make his argument for being the best to ever play. He'll only convince himself that this is true, but that is the only person that matters in his world. He also gets to be petty and laugh at KD for winning in OKC when KD couldn't. He also gets to be the first father/son duo in NBA history and could be the only father/son duo in NBA history to collect rings together. I heard a rumor from someone in the NBA world that there is actually some rumblings of this happening. I'm not sure how reliable this person actually is, but I'm running with until at least the draft. If OKC drafts Bronny I'm going to consider it done and if they don't I'm still going to give it some chance of happening until July 1st when LeBron signs elsewhere.

Non-tax MLE is used to sign Jalen Smith.

SGA/Cason/Bronny
Dort/Joe/Waters
JDub/Wiggins
LeBron/Smith/Freeman
Chet/Edey/Jaylin

Toss in a vet minimum for the 15th spot and you have a championship roster.

Very much like this and kizz I don't agree often. I just don't believe Sam will come any near close to this and I am not a fan of LeBron, as a matter of fact I can't stand him but we would real favorites.

[cjmcallist]

I feel like OKC has enough wings tbh. The gap from Bridges to someone like Dort or Wiggins isnt as big as people think. I think OKC just needs more size and not with persons who had knee surgeries (eg RWiliams, Adams).

A realistic young center target is Claxton or Allen. If possible, get Clingan or alternatively Edey. Clingan fits that Andrew Bogut mold that really helps with possesions amd he is a good passer.

Either of Mikal/Lauri/PG has a long term tie to it and the realistic thing is that SGA will probably want to be extended at 70-80mil per year after 3 seasons. OKC just cant offer a longterm max to another person I think. And they sure as hell arent trading major assets for a measly 2 year situation and then losing that player. I dont think they will trade Dort and it just doesnt work cap wise, unless you get a maximum three year for someone and ship Giddey. Either way, rookie bigs will be needed as well because thats the only cap controllable scenario longterm.

Caveat: I have watched very little of Claxton and Allen. However, I disagree with this. We need players that can shoot, rebound, defend on the perimeter. Claxton and Allen only do one of those (rebound) well. Additionally, we don't need to be spending resources on backup centers as a priority.

If, at the end of the offseason, a cheap deal can be made - then sure. Otherwise I think we should pass.

[Xatticus]

I don’t think Isaac will be cheap to acquire.

Orlando one of those team that can afford to rest or load manage him until the playoff.

They don’t have a reason to move on from him, so you would have to give them a reason to do so. Their ownership really likes him. He would be a problem at the offensive end, so Engelland’s opinion would matter to me.

I think we can do better if we are going to have to part with real assets.

[Dadouv47]

I didn't think Presti would trade for a traditional good big man but after what he said with the Jwill/Chet minutes, I don't know anymore.

I still think Chet is gonna be the starting center so it makes little sense to trade a lot of assets for a guy like Jarrett Allen but he would obviously help us. His contract ends before we have to pay JDub/Chet so it's perfect and he's very good. My only concern as always is that I still think that we need 4 shooters to surround Shai.

I would rather spend the assets on a great PF/Wing and get a traditional big man for a relatively cheap price (Capela?)

[Bremzi]

How about Shai accepts that he needs to improve his 3pt shooting and that he will have a much better chance of winning anything, if the team does not need to be constructed with shooters all around. It was clear as day that OKC got outrebounded and punked in the paint. Chet could not back down anyone and was playing on the perimeter where his shooting motion was too slow. Dallas on the other hand - even though - they had a non-shooting centre, was getting putbacks and alley oops.

Considering that every other team basically plays with a non-shooting big, it should work also for OKC. The key part is that the big guy needs to be able to pass out of a rolling action in the way that Lively does. Chet might some day (in 5 years or more) bulk enough to be able to bang in the paint a bit more and dominate, but until then, OKC will need to have a proper big man to play with. And for all who are arguing that we need 4 shooters around Shai - they had them vs Dallas and people were spread out and still werent getting any good looks. It's because there were no alley oop threats where you gotta defend in space not only horizontally, but also vertically.

For what it's worth, the last plays of Game 6 vs Dallas were telling. The go ahead basket versus Dallas was what OKC was missing for pretty much the vast majority of the series - i.e. an alley oop to a center. The closing lineup for OKC was also Chet + Jaylin. It's as if Mark was signalling with alerting red lights that they needed freaking SIZE to match up.

[Kizz Fastfists]

My only concern as always is that I still think that we need 4 shooters to surround Shai.

Why is there some myth that you need 4 shooters around Shai? It's absolute garbage. It is as foolish as saying you need four shooters around LeBron. LeBron has a lower career 3pt% than SGA. SGA is a career 35% 3pt shooter and the NBA is at 36% during his career. SGA is an average 3pt shooter. Chet, like Dirk, needs a legitimate big man next to him that can muscle up in the paint. While that player will ideally stretch the floor as well that is a bonus. When Giddey doesn't draw a defender to the perimeter the entire argument of needing shooters loses any merit. If you had a legitimate big man in the paint then the defender would have been on them and not waiting for an opportunity to double up on SGA, Jdub or Chet.

Presti's inability to understand the NBA, where his team ranks in the NBA and how to win a championship have been on display for a very long time now. I realize that some fans are so desperate to believe Presti is competent that they will believe the lies. When the man says we made an appearance; we will make an appearance when we can replicate it you are long passed the point you needed to fire the illiterate noob. When the illiterate noob with no clue about basketball claims his team isn't even a .500 team and they end up as the #1 seed it is time to fire them for not knowing anything about their team. When the illiterate noob says he added Hayward to help win and it didn't work because he is still learning and doesn't know his team it is time to fire the piece of garbage.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Considering that every other team basically plays with a non-shooting big, it should work also for OKC. The key part is that the big guy needs to be able to pass out of a rolling action in the way that Lively does.

Stop telling this board that Presti screwed up by not drafting Lively. It was so obvious that OKC needed to draft him that I was worried they were going to need to trade up because of the rumors that Dallas wanted him. When OKC traded for the pick I was excited and under the false impression Presti made a great draft day move. Then the pick was announced and I knew Presti was looking to tank again. Then he refused to add a big man in FA and I knew he wanted to be in the lottery. Then he traded for Hayward, which this board concluded was a tanking move, and I knew he was trying his best to drop into the lottery and miss the playoffs. He failed at tanking, but he succeeded at destroying OKC's chance at a championship this year.

As Presti told us in his press conference; he is still learning. How long as he been on the job? He still can't evaluate where his team is in the NBA pecking order and what their needs are? If my job was to build a car and I put all the pieces together, but it would only go 15 miles before stopping for the day and after seventeen years I said "I'm still learning" I'd deserve to be fired and ridiculed. How stupid do you have to be to think adding Hayward was going to fix OKC's issues? He's still making first year GM mistakes when he's supposed to be one of the best. He's garbage and I don't know why everyone seems so afraid to call him out for it. OMG! He drafted well in the top 5! What did he do after he got 3 HoF players? He screwed it up in a hurry. He's potentially got 3 HoF players again. He screwed up season #1. Perkins, Kanter, Dion Waiters and Hayward should do a podcast together: "Presti's Blunders".

[Bremzi]

When the man says we made an appearance; we will make an appearance when we can replicate it you are long passed the point you needed to fire the illiterate noob. When the illiterate noob with no clue about basketball claims his team isn't even a .500 team and they end up as the #1 seed it is time to fire them for not knowing anything about their team. When the illiterate noob says he added Hayward to help win and it didn't work because he is still learning and doesn't know his team it is time to fire the piece of garbage.

Got to admit that I chuckled at this. While it isnt as black and white (e.g. he could’ve motivated the team to perform better this year with last year’s comments; Hayward having better numbers than PJ Washington per game this season prior to trade), there is some truth to it. There was apparently a gross misevaluation of the talent (Chet being incredibly good as a rookie) and the part where he is still learning the team is worrysome.

Everyone can make a mistake clearly every now and then. But he saw with his own eyes what the team lacked when it mattered. It should be expected that the situation with bigs will be addressed before next seasons rolls around. Will he hit on his target to be a good fit (either through a rookie or a FA), that’s questionable. But if he does not address the gaping hole, then I’ll have a hard time believeing in his actions. He might still try to get a perfect PF compliment in the form of Anunoby/Lauri, but that’s a very unrealistic scenario.

[Bremzi]

Considering that every other team basically plays with a non-shooting big, it should work also for OKC. The key part is that the big guy needs to be able to pass out of a rolling action in the way that Lively does.

Stop telling this board that Presti screwed up by not drafting Lively. It was so obvious that OKC needed to draft him that I was worried they were going to need to trade up because of the rumors that Dallas wanted him. When OKC traded for the pick I was excited and under the false impression Presti made a great draft day move. Then the pick was announced and I knew Presti was looking to tank.

I’m speculating he is regretting it big time. Cason is great and all, but Presti singlehandedly got Dallas Mavs one step away from the finals. He traded Lively to Dallas and facilitated the Gafford trade. He relieved the Mavs cap situation by taking on Bertans’s contract with effect not only for this season but also the next. With all his talk about having the personnel who can all shoot and pass, he sure as hell managed to position the Mavericks to make Luka happy longterm with a playable squad, allow Mavs to have a very very solid big man for 48mins a game while also admitting that “Dallas can really pass the ball” (with the 2 big man you basically gave to them… )

[cjmcallist]

How about Shai accepts that he needs to improve his 3pt shooting and that he will have a much better chance of winning anything

Shai is awesome and still developing at the same time. This is an area I'd like to see him get better at. I believe the ability is there.

Obviously we're a ways away from worrying about this, but we've seen the end-game of a penetrating point guard that can't shoot from the outside.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Obviously we're a ways away from worrying about this, but we've seen the end-game of a penetrating point guard that can't shoot from the outside.

There isn't really a comparison with Russ to be made here. In his best season Russ shot 34% from 3 and for his career in OKC he was 30.4%. SGA is 35% for his career and with the exception of '01-'02 has never shot below 34% from 3. SGA is significantly better at eFG% and TS. SGA finishes better at the rim, shoots the mid-range significantly better, shoots the 3 better, shoots FTs better and gets to the line at a higher rate than Russ did.

During his first 6 NBA seasons Russ averaged 20 pts, 5 reb, 7 asts and 1.6 stls with 3.5 turnovers on 30% usage. SGA, through 6 seasons, is at 23 pts, 5 reb, 5 asts and 1.4 stls with 2.3 turnovers on 28% usage. There isn't an argument to be made for Russ being as good as SGA at this point in their careers offensively. Defensively you can make a case for Russ, but overall SGA is much better. SGA is also a year younger than Russ was at this point in their careers due to an extra year in college for Russ.