Trade Ideas, AKA Please God Bring Us Shooters

[RalphSampsonJr]

With Josh Hart looking better and better i wonder if the Lakers will flick KCP. Thinks hes only on a year contract

[slick_watts]

Can we lock this and start over?

steven adams for evan fournier?

Schroder for Fournier would actually make some sense for both sides. I'd hate it because I think Felton replacing Russ is an even bigger problem than the wing rotation.

this is the kind of trade i think presti is looking to do after he rehabilitates schroder's value.

[ThunderBolt]

We need a guy like josh hart

[spearsy23]

We need a guy like josh hart

What part of Josh Hart? Abrines is pretty close to the same caliber, without the ball handling abilities.

[bondom34]

Another guy I liked in that draft.

[Kizz Fastfists]

We need a guy like josh hart

The one thing most non top 10 pick rookies that come in good, like Hart, have in common is they are older. Hart is 23. Presti generally goes after younger prospects. Ferguson and Diallo are both 20, Dakari was 19 on draft night, Abrines was drafted at 20 and Jerami Grant is on his 2nd contract at age 24. It was the biggest argument for OG Anunoby over Ferguson on draft night. Anunoby was more NBA ready because he spent multiple years in college. Presti went for potential over short-term impact, which makes no sense given OKC's window with Russ as the franchise player.

[ThunderBolt]

We need a guy like josh hart

What part of Josh Hart? Abrines is pretty close to the same caliber, without the ball handling abilities.

I think he’s better than Abrines defensively but even if he’s not, we need more players that can shoot like Alex.

[spearsy23]

We need a guy like josh hart

What part of Josh Hart? Abrines is pretty close to the same caliber, without the ball handling abilities.

I think he’s better than Abrines defensively but even if he’s not, we need more players that can shoot like Alex.

He had a reputation defensively but hasn't actually been good on that end. He's also a sophomore so it's not like the book has been written on him, but he is pretty similar defensively to Alex right now. Also, one game and all that, but the Lakers had like a 140 d rating with him in last night

[Pillendreher]

This team needs more shooting than what it currently has. If Donovan keeps featuring Grant at the expense of Patterson, they're down to less than two whole shooters since Abrines will probably only be on the floor half of the time each game. That leaves a bunch of sub par shooters who can make a 3 here and there, but probably only way below the league average 3P%.

Sigh.

[ThunderBolt]

This team needs more shooting than what it currently has. If Donovan keeps featuring Grant at the expense of Patterson, they're down to less than two whole shooters since Abrines will probably only be on the floor half of the time each game. That leaves a bunch of sub par shooters who can make a 3 here and there, but probably only way below the league average 3P%.

Sigh.

Therein lies the problem. They have to feature the shooters they have. I’ve been encouraged with what I’ve seen from Alex so far. However the beginning of lasts nights game intentionally ignored PP and Adams. The personnel is irrelevant if they aren’t used properly. I think presti wants good shooters secondary to being a good iso scorer. It’s why we will never see Patterson be used effectively here.

[Pillendreher]

This team needs more shooting than what it currently has. If Donovan keeps featuring Grant at the expense of Patterson, they're down to less than two whole shooters since Abrines will probably only be on the floor half of the time each game. That leaves a bunch of sub par shooters who can make a 3 here and there, but probably only way below the league average 3P%.

Sigh.

Therein lies the problem. They have to feature the shooters they have. I’ve been encouraged with what I’ve seen from Alex so far. However the beginning of lasts nights game intentionally ignored PP and Adams. The personnel is irrelevant if they aren’t used properly. I think presti wants good shooters secondary to being a good iso scorer. It’s why we will never see Patterson be used effectively here.

I feel like I'm saying this for the 1000th time over the last four years, but at some point it just has to be a structural problem. We're always talking about the same issues, no matter the player: Not being able to get something regularly out of roleplayers that can shoot, but can't create their own shot. Guys like Grant and Felton get shots because they "get theirs": Felton more often than not prefers chucking jumpers over running the offense and they're treating Grant like he's light version of Durant with all this dancing around on the perimeter and then trying to force his way to the rim. But a guy like Patterson doesn't even get the opportunity to contribute offensively because they're not consistently looking for him, not on the perimeter nor inside. Last season, Melo took seven 3s a game per 36 minutes. Patterson does need to play 30+ minutes like Melo did, but we can't perform well offensively if we limit one of our just three good 3pt shooters to two to three 3PA per game while his replacement gets to play 30 minutes and they're featuring him constantly.

[Kizz Fastfists]

I feel like I'm saying this for the 1000th time over the last four years, but at some point it just has to be a structural problem. We're always talking about the same issues, no matter the player: Not being able to get something regularly out of roleplayers that can shoot, but can't create their own shot.

The structural problems start and end with a guy named Presti. He'll probably be around for another two years so we might as well just stop complaining and enjoy the mediocrity. We should be happy that the great Presti has given us a team that is capable of being a first round playoff exit for 4-5 straight years. It's not like we should be expecting more than that, right? If you have crazy expectations like trying to win a championship that means your scared money grows a pair and blows it up for the rebuild instead of adding the 3rd piece when capped out with no assets remaining, PG, when you still need your 2nd.

If Presti pulls off a Butler trade I might have to eat some crow, but with Donovan on the bench I'm not even sure adding Butler would get them out of the first round. I'd expect them to carry Billy boy to the 2nd round, but that might be asking too much since he'd do something stupid like throw a Felton, Schroder, Butler, PG and Grant lineup out there in a tie playoff game and wonder why they were suddenly down 10 then repeat it every game in the series. Then Presti and Donovan would try to figure out how things went wrong, because it certainly would have nothing to do with them taking 50% of their shots as mid-range jumpers.

[bondom34]

oh ffs its 2 games

[thekaoswithin]

oh ffs its 2 games

It's more about how the games have gone than the result. After 2 full seasons of Billy and seeing the same problems all the time, I would say there is reason for concern. And this is coming from someone who is usually right up there with you on the optimism train Dom.

[bondom34]

oh ffs its 2 games

It's more about how the games have gone than the result. After 2 full seasons of Billy and seeing the same problems all the time, I would say there is reason for concern. And this is coming from someone who is usually right up there with you on the optimism train Dom.

Oh I should have been more clear. That's reasonable, and how I feel. The Kizz rant about blowing it up (again) was the ffs

[Kizz Fastfists]

Oh I should have been more clear. That's reasonable, and how I feel. The Kizz rant about blowing it up (again) was the ffs

Since Presti has made it clear that Donovan isn't going anywhere the team either has to drastically underachieve the expectations or the same result will continue. I expect OKC to make the playoffs and lose in the first round and the first thing Presti will say in the off-season is that Donovan will be back. Is that really a better outcome than blowing it up, winning 20 games and rebuilding? At least if Presti blew it up they might go with a new coach that could build a system and give the team a higher ceiling.

Imagine if Brooks had put in a system when he first got that job. If he had made Russ accept that by benching him when he went hero ball. How much different would the Thunder have been if they had been moving the ball to get higher percentage shots in the Finals against Miami? How much different would their following seasons and runs have been? Would it have hurt as much when Russ went down? Would they have been better equipped to deal with the kd injury? Why is it too much to ask for OKC to run an offense that maximize their talent instead of minimizes it?

[bondom34]

Oh I should have been more clear. That's reasonable, and how I feel. The Kizz rant about blowing it up (again) was the ffs

Since Presti has made it clear that Donovan isn't going anywhere the team either has to drastically underachieve the expectations or the same result will continue. I expect OKC to make the playoffs and lose in the first round and the first thing Presti will say in the off-season is that Donovan will be back. Is that really a better outcome than blowing it up, winning 20 games and rebuilding? At least if Presti blew it up they might go with a new coach that could build a system and give the team a higher ceiling.

Imagine if Brooks had put in a system when he first got that job. If he had made Russ accept that by benching him when he went hero ball. How much different would the Thunder have been if they had been moving the ball to get higher percentage shots in the Finals against Miami? How much different would their following seasons and runs have been? Would it have hurt as much when Russ went down? Would they have been better equipped to deal with the kd injury? Why is it too much to ask for OKC to run an offense that maximize their talent instead of minimizes it?

I'd respond to some of the finer points, but it's not worth the effort.


Edit: And yes, that's a better outcome. And you know very well he wouldn't hire a new coach. And you also know Westbrook wouldn't and shouldn't be benched, and that by that standard I'd hope he'd bench Durant when he went hero ball.

[ThunderBolt]

Gallinari, SGA and FRP for George.
Bridges, jackson, Frp and Anderson for russ.
Paul George and Ferguson for millsap, porter and Murray.

I dont know. I just want something to look forward to.

[cgf]

Would Schröder & Albrines for Lee & Burke...with Dennis landing in PHX for an expiring...make sense for the Thunder?

Burke can replace a lot of what Dennis can give you behind Russ, Lee gives a good shooter behind Roberson, and you’d shave a good bit on your tax bill. We clear cap space and bolster our tank. While the Suns get that PG they’re thirsting for. Am I completely off base here?

[Pillendreher]

We should trade for Fultz. This is the perfect environment for guys that can't and won't shoot.