What happens if George leaves this year?

[ThunderBolt]

If George leaves it would be a mistake to renegotiate Melos contract. Just suck it up and have him gone at the end of the next year.

[Pillendreher]

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/02/27/russell-westbrook-paul-george-oklahoma-city-thunder-bond-future

Westbrook, meanwhile, is making the case for the Thunder as George's teammate. The speculative vision of what kind of blank-slate team George might join in Los Angeles is chased, in Oklahoma City, with reality. Every day he goes to work with Westbrook, the best player to ever be on his team. And periodically, the famously reticent Westbrook makes clear to the media and the world just how much he wants George to stay.

Those appeals have real sway. Eight years of playing with Westbrook might have been enough for Kevin Durant, but the world looks different to those who live through the gradual rise and sudden dissolution of a contending team. The best Pacers core of George' tenure folded almost inexplicably. One moment they were pushing LeBron and the Heat for a spot in the NBA Finals. The next, Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson—two critical pieces for that team—looked like they might be playing their way out of the league.

And after playing out the string with a host of mediocre rosters since, sharing the court with Westbrook, Steven Adams, and Carmelo Anthony must come as a relief. There have always been quality players around George, but many were overmatched. George Hill is not a proper costar. A 20-year-old Myles Turner wasn't ready to be a team's second-best player, and Jeff Teague had no business in that role. For any criticism one could level against Westbrook, those same concerns do not apply. Stars around the league conspire, in a sense, for what George already has.

The Thunder, after some initial wobbling, have found a sort of harmony. Since their uneven first month, Oklahoma City has ranked squarely in the top 10 on offense, per NBA.com. Billy Donovan and his staff have found opportunities for each of the Thunder stars to have their moment. Westbrook, after some convincing, now drives the offense when the starting lineup is in play. When he rests, Anthony (himself a likely free agent in 2018) eats—binging over 30% of the Thunder's possessions. Then George, who comfortably supported both, finds his own creative outlets alongside Oklahoma City's reserves. George has played nearly 400 minutes as a solo star this season—almost three times as many as Westbrook or George. A sampling of his old life can be found there, chased by the satisfactions in working off of a creator like Westbrook.

Surely it is not lost on George that this might be his best role. His offense alone can help carry a decent playoff team through a hard-fought series, but the best course forward calls for a teammate like Westbrook. Taking the burdens of high-volume creation off of George's plate allows him to play a leaner, sharper game. It activates his devastating work off the ball and energizes his defense. It gives his every move an even greater charge. There is both room for George to do more, if the situation calls for it, and a structure that moderates that need.

Whether that—and this trial season in OKC in general—is enough for George is really only a matter of preference. Some buy into the appeal of a new build, others opt for a detailed walkthrough of an existing property. The Thunder aren't exactly a runaway success, but they've shown George the blueprint of what he can reasonably expect: healthy involvement, competitive basketball, and full-throated support.

The stars involved have grown together and learned each other's games, filling out the brochure for the team's eventual pitch. A compelling playoff run would punctuate it.

[ThunderBolt]

Let’s say that haplens, then what? How do we make this team any better than they are this year?

[InTheSabonus]

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/02/27/russell-westbrook-paul-george-oklahoma-city-thunder-bond-future

Westbrook, meanwhile, is making the case for the Thunder as George's teammate. The speculative vision of what kind of blank-slate team George might join in Los Angeles is chased, in Oklahoma City, with reality. Every day he goes to work with Westbrook, the best player to ever be on his team. And periodically, the famously reticent Westbrook makes clear to the media and the world just how much he wants George to stay.

Those appeals have real sway. Eight years of playing with Westbrook might have been enough for Kevin Durant, but the world looks different to those who live through the gradual rise and sudden dissolution of a contending team. The best Pacers core of George' tenure folded almost inexplicably. One moment they were pushing LeBron and the Heat for a spot in the NBA Finals. The next, Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson—two critical pieces for that team—looked like they might be playing their way out of the league.

And after playing out the string with a host of mediocre rosters since, sharing the court with Westbrook, Steven Adams, and Carmelo Anthony must come as a relief. There have always been quality players around George, but many were overmatched. George Hill is not a proper costar. A 20-year-old Myles Turner wasn't ready to be a team's second-best player, and Jeff Teague had no business in that role. For any criticism one could level against Westbrook, those same concerns do not apply. Stars around the league conspire, in a sense, for what George already has.

The Thunder, after some initial wobbling, have found a sort of harmony. Since their uneven first month, Oklahoma City has ranked squarely in the top 10 on offense, per NBA.com. Billy Donovan and his staff have found opportunities for each of the Thunder stars to have their moment. Westbrook, after some convincing, now drives the offense when the starting lineup is in play. When he rests, Anthony (himself a likely free agent in 2018) eats—binging over 30% of the Thunder's possessions. Then George, who comfortably supported both, finds his own creative outlets alongside Oklahoma City's reserves. George has played nearly 400 minutes as a solo star this season—almost three times as many as Westbrook or George. A sampling of his old life can be found there, chased by the satisfactions in working off of a creator like Westbrook.

Surely it is not lost on George that this might be his best role. His offense alone can help carry a decent playoff team through a hard-fought series, but the best course forward calls for a teammate like Westbrook. Taking the burdens of high-volume creation off of George's plate allows him to play a leaner, sharper game. It activates his devastating work off the ball and energizes his defense. It gives his every move an even greater charge. There is both room for George to do more, if the situation calls for it, and a structure that moderates that need.

Whether that—and this trial season in OKC in general—is enough for George is really only a matter of preference. Some buy into the appeal of a new build, others opt for a detailed walkthrough of an existing property. The Thunder aren't exactly a runaway success, but they've shown George the blueprint of what he can reasonably expect: healthy involvement, competitive basketball, and full-throated support.

The stars involved have grown together and learned each other's games, filling out the brochure for the team's eventual pitch. A compelling playoff run would punctuate it.

You'd think a professional sports writer would do a bit of homework. Looking at the net rating data takes like 60 seconds, too. Actually- they looked at it for minutes played, but nothing about how horribly ineffective and costly those lineups have been?

Also seems like they don't do much in the way of watching OKC.

"Sort of harmony"...What?

Melo is a "likely free agent"? Melo is the unlikeliest free agent in the history of contracts with player options!

Putting Carmelo in the same sentence as the other three just needs to stop.

Also makes the decision seem purely based off success, and that might be the case...But what if the guy just wants to play in his hometown, as he's strongly indicated in the past? No mention of that?

[Pillendreher]

Let’s say that haplens, then what? How do we make this team any better than they are this year?

Re Donovan:



Re Roster:

Minimum guys should be as good as ever this summer due to the lack of money.

------------------------

Too bad we'll probably keep Donovan no matter what and will get and play at least two scrubs next season.

[ThunderBolt]

I don’t really care so much about the teams current status as long as I can see a path forward. Right now it looks even more difficult than last year to improve the roster.

[slick_watts]

there isn't much of a road map especially with andre roberson's long term future up in the air and (presumably) no 1st round pick this summer.

sam presti is no daryl morey, that's for sure. getting guys like nene and mbah on minimum deals to be key role players.

[Pillendreher]

there isn't much of a road map especially with andre roberson's long term future up in the air and (presumably) no 1st round pick this summer.

sam presti is no daryl morey, that's for sure. getting guys like nene and mbah on minimum deals to be key role players.

I wonder: Is he trying to get those kind of guys or is he unwilling to? Like would he prefer some unproven guy like Huestis on a minimum deal because he's young and might get better over a proven player who's most likely only getting worse?

[ThunderBolt]

there isn't much of a road map especially with andre roberson's long term future up in the air and (presumably) no 1st round pick this summer.

sam presti is no daryl morey, that's for sure. getting guys like nene and mbah on minimum deals to be key role players.

I wonder: Is he trying to get those kind of guys or is he unwilling to? Like would he prefer some unproven guy like Huestis on a minimum deal because he's young and might get better over a proven player who's most likely only getting worse?

It’s not a bad idea to have a guy like Huestis on the roster. The problem is we have like 5 of those guys.

[Pillendreher]

there isn't much of a road map especially with andre roberson's long term future up in the air and (presumably) no 1st round pick this summer.

sam presti is no daryl morey, that's for sure. getting guys like nene and mbah on minimum deals to be key role players.

I wonder: Is he trying to get those kind of guys or is he unwilling to? Like would he prefer some unproven guy like Huestis on a minimum deal because he's young and might get better over a proven player who's most likely only getting worse?

It’s not a bad idea to have a guy like Huestis on the roster. The problem is we have like 5 of those guys.

And that we keep giving them minutes even when they're horrible. Christon and Huestis playing 1000+ minutes in back to back seasons is insane.

[wco81]

Thunder are 37-29 so if they go 10-6 in the remaining 16 games, it's not a bad season (regardless of their playoff seeding and what happens in the playoffs).

But they have the third highest payroll this year and that will only go up if George re-signs and Westbrook's extension kicks in.

So way over the cap for several the next few years. I think over the cap even if George leaves.

http://www.spotrac.com/nba/cap/

Can the ownership pay luxury taxes to keep the stars?

After next year, they'll be free of Melo's contract but the team struggles already offensively. So they'd need a veteran replacement scorer or the young players would have to make big improvements.

But to be way over the cap, you'd want to be perennial 50-game winners at least and threats to make the conference finals or higher.

[ThunderBolt]

Thunder are 37-29 so if they go 10-6 in the remaining 16 games, it's not a bad season (regardless of their playoff seeding and what happens in the playoffs).

But they have the third highest payroll this year and that will only go up if George re-signs and Westbrook's extension kicks in.

So way over the cap for several the next few years. I think over the cap even if George leaves.

http://www.spotrac.com/nba/cap/

Can the ownership pay luxury taxes to keep the stars?

After next year, they'll be free of Melo's contract but the team struggles already offensively. So they'd need a veteran replacement scorer or the young players would have to make big improvements.

But to be way over the cap, you'd want to be perennial 50-game winners at least and threats to make the conference finals or higher.

I think the consensus here is, who cares? I like George a lot but can’t blame him if he leaves and not sure what the thunder can sell him on if he stays. Even if Melo decided to exercise his eto, we might be a little better just because he’s not here but the primary benefit is that we would save money. Unfortunately saving money doesn’t equal wins. It just makes rich people happy.

[Revived]

I don’t really care so much about the teams current status as long as I can see a path forward. Right now it looks even more difficult than last year to improve the roster.

You can never count out Presti, he always has something up his sleeve that he's able to come up with and improve the team. He traded two players who were utterly useless here for Paul freaking George which nobody saw coming.

[ThunderBolt]

I don’t really care so much about the teams current status as long as I can see a path forward. Right now it looks even more difficult than last year to improve the roster.

You can never count out Presti, he always has something up his sleeve that he's able to come up with and improve the team. He traded two players who were utterly useless here for Paul freaking George which nobody saw coming.

How was the team been improved? On paper it sounds better but we likely finish with a worse record and those useless players are pretty good elsewhere. I believe one was an allstar this year.

[Revived]

I don’t really care so much about the teams current status as long as I can see a path forward. Right now it looks even more difficult than last year to improve the roster.

You can never count out Presti, he always has something up his sleeve that he's able to come up with and improve the team. He traded two players who were utterly useless here for Paul freaking George which nobody saw coming.

How was the team been improved? On paper it sounds better but we likely finish with a worse record and those useless players are pretty good elsewhere. I believe one was an allstar this year.

...in the East. Goran Dragic was an All Star in the East. Guys like Korver, Teague, Mo Williams etc have all been all stars in the East, it’s not all the impressive.

But all that is besides the point since this is what about what those guys did here which was absolutely nothing.

As for the team improvement, I don’t think you can blame Presti for Roberson’s injury.

[ThunderBolt]

You can never count out Presti, he always has something up his sleeve that he's able to come up with and improve the team. He traded two players who were utterly useless here for Paul freaking George which nobody saw coming.

How was the team been improved? On paper it sounds better but we likely finish with a worse record and those useless players are pretty good elsewhere. I believe one was an allstar this year.

...in the East. Goran Dragic was an All Star in the East. Guys like Korver, Teague, Mo Williams etc have all been all stars in the East, it’s not all the impressive.

But all that is besides the point since this is what about what those guys did here which was absolutely nothing.

As for the team improvement, I don’t think you can blame Presti for Roberson’s injury.

The west has had plenty of allstars that weren’t deserving. Also, the guys weren’t ineffective here because they were bad players, hence why they are playing better. Sabonis isn’t shooting threes this year. Indiana likely finishes this year with a better record than last year and OKC a worse record. Indiana has players signed for years out. OKC could lose Melo and George this year and is in tax hell. I’m not sure how we are better.

[bondom34]

Sabonis is better because he's actually playing the right position this year. PG is actually having a great year. Wish they never got Melo.

[spearsy23]

As for the team improvement, I don’t think you can blame Presti for Roberson’s injury.

You can certainly blame presti for not having a single competent backup at any position. Our best bench player should be a 9th man on a good team.

Not including Patterson who should be starting because melo is garbage.

[WestbrookGOATed]

No matter what happens Russell will never, ever be traded. Unless he demands it. Which I can't see happening.

[wco81]

Teams will be leery of taking on that huge contract.