OKC Thunder Offseason 2015

[TheSuzerain]

Bulls fan here.

Assuming you guys commit to Kanter, what would you be looking for in return for Adams or McGary?

[Kizz Fastfists]

Bulls fan here.

Assuming you guys commit to Kanter, what would you be looking for in return for Adams or McGary?

There is nothing you could offer. The Thunder will run a big man rotation of Ibaka, Kanter, Adams and McGary with Collison as the 5th big for the next two years then Collison will be replaced. It isn't a choice of Kanter or Adams the Thunder are keeping both.

[bondom34]

Bulls fan here.

Assuming you guys commit to Kanter, what would you be looking for in return for Adams or McGary?

There is nothing you could offer. The Thunder will run a big man rotation of Ibaka, Kanter, Adams and McGary with Collison as the 5th big for the next two years then Collison will be replaced. It isn't a choice of Kanter or Adams the Thunder are keeping both.

I'd say Butler. But realistically, yea, nothing.

[TheSuzerain]

Even McGary? I understand wanting to hold onto Adams though.

I speak from experience, having 4 "quality" bigs is overrated when you have other holes.

[TheSuzerain]

Even McGary? I understand wanting to hold onto Adams though.

I speak from experience, having 4 "quality" bigs is overrated when you have other holes.

[bondom34]

McGary is tradable, but there really isn't anything from Chicago that works, I'd like a better backup SF, but Snell isn't really the guy I'd be looking for.

[Kizz Fastfists]

The only "hole" OKC has is a SG like Jimmy Butler that can give you both offense and defense. They aren't getting that for McGary so they will try for it in the draft or try turning Waiters or Roberson into a competent offensive player.

[KD35Brah]

The only "hole" OKC has is a SG like Jimmy Butler that can give you both offense and defense. They aren't getting that for McGary so they will try for it in the draft or try turning Waiters or Roberson into a competent offensive player.

Stanley Johnson could fill that role.

Too bad he would be gone by 14 though.

[Marcus50]

Even McGary? I understand wanting to hold onto Adams though.

I speak from experience, having 4 "quality" bigs is overrated when you have other holes.

Except with Kanter resigned at $12-$14 Thunder cant afford to keep Adams when he hits RFA despite the big leap in the tax level. I expect Presti to hang onto Adams next year as insurance in case Kanter remains a defensive bust but if Kanter becomes serviceable defensively then Adams becomes very tradeable at the start of or during his fourth year given you still have McGary on a cheap contract for at least another year after that

[Kizz Fastfists]

Adams is going to make $2.2M next year and $3.1M in '16-'17 and then he will get a raise, but we don't know how much he will want/need. However, at that point the cap will be around $100M and there will most likely be a new CBA. You deal with '17-'18 cap issues in '17-'18. You don't try to prevent them when you don't even know what the CBA will be much less the salary cap.

[Marcus50]

Adams is going to make $2.2M next year and $3.1M in '16-'17 and then he will get a raise, but we don't know how much he will want/need. However, at that point the cap will be around $100M and there will most likely be a new CBA. You deal with '17-'18 cap issues in '17-'18. You don't try to prevent them when you don't even know what the CBA will be much less the salary cap.

The surge in the Tax level to a predicted 127 million isn't high enough to have Kanter and Adams on the roster once Adams hits RFA, remember KD, Russ and Serge all come up over the next 2 years ( and of course assuming Adams continues to improve and has some value). I would rather OKC spent its money on a decent shooting guard than keep three centers on the roster. I don't see it as a problem. Presti is in great shape as he can wait and see how each of the players (Kanter/Adams McGary) develop and make the call only when he needs to.

[Kizz Fastfists]

While that could be true, and it probably is, it is not something you worry about this off-season to the point of trading Adams. Maybe Kanter only wants to sign the QO so he can be an FA next off-season when the money hits. Maybe KD leaves next off-season and it is completely irrelevant. Maybe Russ leaves. You put the best team you can on the court next year and that means keeping Adams. If you have Kanter on a $12M/yr contract after the cap increase that should look like a very good contract in a few years and you can move him for a significant piece after giving Adams the time to become a force on both ends of the court.

You are also assuming that the repeaters tax won't be repealed in the new CBA and that the Thunder will not be willing to pay it. They could put some crazy clause in the new CBA that says you do not have to pay tax if your top 3 contracts have never played for another team. They did claim the whole point of the harsher tax was to keep teams like the Lakers and Knicks from stealing players other teams developed so they could do something like that to allow teams to keep their homegrown players while penalizing teams that build through FA and salary dump trades.

[Marcus50]

While that could be true, and it probably is, it is not something you worry about this off-season to the point of trading Adams. Maybe Kanter only wants to sign the QO so he can be an FA next off-season when the money hits. Maybe KD leaves next off-season and it is completely irrelevant. Maybe Russ leaves. You put the best team you can on the court next year and that means keeping Adams. If you have Kanter on a $12M/yr contract after the cap increase that should look like a very good contract in a few years and you can move him for a significant piece after giving Adams the time to become a force on both ends of the court.

You are also assuming that the repeaters tax won't be repealed in the new CBA and that the Thunder will not be willing to pay it. They could put some crazy clause in the new CBA that says you do not have to pay tax if your top 3 contracts have never played for another team. They did claim the whole point of the harsher tax was to keep teams like the Lakers and Knicks from stealing players other teams developed so they could do something like that to allow teams to keep their homegrown players while penalizing teams that build through FA and salary dump trades.

Agree totally that Presti has plenty of time and Adams is probably there for his third and 4th year at least if not in the long term. If KD stays along with Russ and Serge I expect more often than not Adams is the closing center.

Hopefully we dont see much of Adams at power forward next season. He is simply not good there and while Brooks had little option with the number of injuries the Adams Kanter combo was not something we should see much of next season

[bondom34]

Coaching stuff:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--t ... 4-nba.html

After locking in three members of his new coaching staff, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan is pursuing an ambitious list of ex-NBA head coaches and assistant coaches for the two most prominent roles on his bench, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Donovan has a targeted interest in several potential candidates, including ex-New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams, Chicago Bulls assistant Andy Greer and Portland Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, league sources said.

Williams would be good by me, the article also says Mike Brown turned him down, which I don't know if is a good or bad thing. I don't know how I'd feel about Greer, and Thibetts seems OK, he was the 66ers coach for a bit and has some decent player development history. His D League teams played good defense. I would however like Williams for sure.

Spoiler:

AD to OKC? Sorry I had to!

[HeartSouloma]

Coaching stuff:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--t ... 4-nba.html

After locking in three members of his new coaching staff, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan is pursuing an ambitious list of ex-NBA head coaches and assistant coaches for the two most prominent roles on his bench, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Donovan has a targeted interest in several potential candidates, including ex-New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams, Chicago Bulls assistant Andy Greer and Portland Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, league sources said.

Williams would be good by me, the article also says Mike Brown turned him down, which I don't know if is a good or bad thing. I don't know how I'd feel about Greer, and Thibetts seems OK, he was the 66ers coach for a bit and has some decent player development history. His D League teams played good defense. I would however like Williams for sure.

Spoiler:

AD to OKC? Sorry I had to!

I would love MW as an assistant coach. I'm not sure how I feel about the rest of the candidates.

[Zagor]

So he needs two more assistants. Probably one veteran who knows how to make a connection with players. Someone who will be close to them. Because players like former NBA players. They know what is like to be in NBA,pressure,money etc.
Monty Williams fit in that profile. But I don't think he will accept the offer.

I read some opinion that James Borrego could be the guy for defensive schemes. He was with Spurs,he was assistant with Monty.
He is a strong name.
Take him or Thibetts and one older NBA player who is proven assistant coach.

[KD35Brah]

Coaching stuff:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--t ... 4-nba.html

After locking in three members of his new coaching staff, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan is pursuing an ambitious list of ex-NBA head coaches and assistant coaches for the two most prominent roles on his bench, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Donovan has a targeted interest in several potential candidates, including ex-New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams, Chicago Bulls assistant Andy Greer and Portland Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, league sources said.

Williams would be good by me, the article also says Mike Brown turned him down, which I don't know if is a good or bad thing. I don't know how I'd feel about Greer, and Thibetts seems OK, he was the 66ers coach for a bit and has some decent player development history. His D League teams played good defense. I would however like Williams for sure.

Spoiler:

AD to OKC? Sorry I had to!

Mo Cheecks now

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/600047602109808640[/tweet]

[spearsy23]

Coaching stuff:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--t ... 4-nba.html

After locking in three members of his new coaching staff, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan is pursuing an ambitious list of ex-NBA head coaches and assistant coaches for the two most prominent roles on his bench, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Donovan has a targeted interest in several potential candidates, including ex-New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams, Chicago Bulls assistant Andy Greer and Portland Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, league sources said.

Williams would be good by me, the article also says Mike Brown turned him down, which I don't know if is a good or bad thing. I don't know how I'd feel about Greer, and Thibetts seems OK, he was the 66ers coach for a bit and has some decent player development history. His D League teams played good defense. I would however like Williams for sure.

Spoiler:

AD to OKC? Sorry I had to!

Mo Cheecks now

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/600047602109808640[/tweet]

This is exactly the suggestion in was going to make

[Kizz Fastfists]

Presti was asked specifically about Huestis the other day and avoid to commit to him being on the team next year. "He is someone we think very highly of. We think he has a future with this team. He could be as early as next season." Since we have had some debate about when Huestis will be on the Thunder roster I thought that was an interesting quote. Unless they clear some roster space I think they have Huestis waits until 2016-2017 to get his rookie contract.

[bondom34]

Summer League Schedule:

http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/20 ... kc-thunder

All times EST, on NBATV:
7/4: 3 PM vs. Charlotte
7/6: 3 PM vs. Orlando
7/7: 5 PM at LA (really at Orlando, but OKC is the away team)
7/9: 7 PM at Memphis
7/10: Championship Day