Absorbing Brand OKC style.

[wiff]

Ok so I saw this idea on the trade board, and Slick touched on this idea too but he included Minny.

First I think most of would agree that a trade between division rivals is rare. Especially for a high lottery pick.

So let's cut out Minny all together and go after Brand and the #2.

There is a rumor floating around tha Philly is willing to part with the #2 if a team out there is willing to take on Brand's contract. So basically giving up the #2 for cap relief.

Now Brand has a whale of a contract, but as pointed out by Slick, Elton comes off the books just in time to re-sign Harden and Ibaka. The biggest blow would be losing Green which I think most of us would agree he is the odd man out when it comes time to hand out fat contracts.

A little side note here...Does anyone ever wonder why OKC is never mentioned in the LeBron talks? If LeBron is truely concerned with winning why not OKC?

If this roster was in say Atlanta not OKC is there any question that Atlanta would be on the LeBron radar?

I have three words for you for why LeBron and every other big name free agent isn't considering OKC.

Location, location, location.

Fair or not that is just how it is and is going to be. So sure over paying for a guy like David Lee or Brendan Haywood could happen. But you are going to have to open up the vault to make them "want" to come to OKC.

OKC is in the same playing field as Milwaukee, Indiana and Minny. Free agents don't flock to these markets. They go there because they will over pay for services.

So if Philly truely is willing to trade Brand and the #2 for essentially cap relief and a low first, I think Sam needs to jump all over it.

Then Sam could use the #2 to simply draft Cousins or he could dangle Turner to Minny for say Cousins and Sessions.

Giving up cap relief would hurt short term but if you can finally land that illusive bigman through the draft go for it.

[sonictecture]

Are you advocating paying $50M for the number two selection in the 2010 draft?

$50M and you don't even get the best prospect in the draft? What GM or owner would be willing to do that?

Smart teams don't take gambles like this, especially when the payoff is potentially the next Benoit Benjamin, Eddy Curry, or Rasheed Wallace.

The best thing about that thread by the way is the Philadelphia fans who demand that teams give equal value for the #2 and take Brands contract to get the pick.

[wiff]

Are you advocating paying $50M for the number two selection in the 2010 draft?

$50M and you don't even get the best prospect in the draft? What GM or owner would be willing to do that?

Smart teams don't take gambles like this, especially when the payoff is potentially the next Benoit Benjamin, Eddy Curry, or Rasheed Wallace.

The best thing about that thread by the way is the Philadelphia fans who demand that teams give equal value for the #2 and take Brands contract to get the pick.

Yeah I am advocating that because no top tier big man is going to come to OKC at a market price.

Sure it's a huge waste of money but it is a very calculated waste of money. Danny Fortson was a waste of money. Etan Thomas was a waste of money. Jerome James was a waste of money. Wally Z was a waste of money Donell Marshal was a waste of money. Calvin Booth was a waste of moeny. Vin Baker was a waste of money. Need I go on? Because I can.

Show me a team that doesn't have an ugly contract. But this ugly contract lands the holy grail and a legit shot at mulitple titles.

[Balkman32]

Cousions is the holy Grail?

[dream_catcher_9]

Cousions is the holy Grail?

That's what I was thinking. I wouldn't touch Cousins with a 10 foot pole.

[wiff]

Fine draft Favors and play Ibaka at the 5. But I think Ibaka and Cousins are a better fit at the PF and C spot.

[sonictecture]

I understand, but I disagree that the addition of Cousins will be the terminate of whether this team contends for multiple championships. I'm willing to give you a chance to convince me otherwise.

The Sonics were a mediocre team largely because the amount of ugly contracts they continually had on the roster due to bad risk, but none of those players had a contract as big, long and bad as the Brand contract.

As of June 30, 2010 OKC doesn't have any ugly contracts. Feels good doesn't it?

[wiff]

I understand, but I disagree that the addition of Cousins will be the terminate of whether this team contends for multiple championships. I'm willing to give you a chance to convince me otherwise.

The Sonics were a mediocre team largely because the amount of ugly contracts they continually had on the roster due to bad risk, but none of those players had a contract as big, long and bad as the Brand contract.

As of June 30, 2010 OKC doesn't have any ugly contracts. Feels good doesn't it?

Vin Baker had a max deal at the time and for a while the Sonics had Jerome James and Calvin Booth on the roster. Then they had Jerome James and Danny Fortson at the same time.

OKC could only get away with this because they have so much youth on their team with no really large contracts. If this was a typical roster there is no way you could get away with this, because you have at least one star getting big money. OKC is the exception right now. And sure I agree 50 mil is a big risk but if Presti feels Cousins or Favors can be a big part in taking this team to the promise land you have to consider this.

Plus Brand is a character guy. He can play the Ethan Thomas, Kurt Thomas, Kevin Ollie role. Plus there is still a chance the guy gets some mobility back. He'd be a decent guy off the bench. No where near the worth of his contract but a nice locker room guy.

[Balkman32]

See I wouldent trade for Brand. Thunder won't do that. Do u think Cousions will do that good in a Thunder uniform.

[sonictecture]

Fortson had two years left on his MLE size deal. Jerome James never had more than a 3yr MLE deal. Calvin Booth had an MLE deal. You can trade those contracts, I don't think you can trade Brand if you acquire him. You're stuck, until he his contract ends and if Cousins or Favors doesn't work out you've wasted 3 years of Durant's career.

Rule #1, don't waste Durant's career.

[Balkman32]

Ooo.. Wats Rule #2?

[wiff]

Well you have Brand until he is an expiring and then trade him at the trade deadline. So you have him for two and a half years. Sonics had Jerome James for three, Danny Fortson for two and Vin Baker for way toooo long.

I guess with all the money spent on Brand they could just go after Bosh.

Oh wait Bosh isn't going to OKC. Neither is Amare, neither is Dirk, neither is any other bigman who people will actually pay to go watch play.

But I guess there is always David Lee. Wow it's soo hard to control my excitement over David Lee.

[Balkman32]

David Lee is 100% better than Brand n' a rookie.

[slick_watts]

I love Cousins. I like the idea of trading up for him, but really only if Sam Presti has zero plans whatsoever of using the cap space for anything else. I'd prefer a proven player, such as David Lee.

The advantage, financially, of a trade like this is that it only prevents the re-signing of Jeff Green. Elton Brand would expire the year before any extensions to Serge Ibaka or James Harden are due, as wiff mentioned.

I think Cousins is one of the most skilled players of his size and age to come out in awhile. Personality flaws are magnified by the media and overblown, he's an eccentric kid not a bad seed.

[fallacy]

David Lee is 100 times better than Brand. I would much rather have lee and green than 50 mil dollars worth of brand worthlessness and the #2 pick.

[Balkman32]

If you think. Cousions is that good I think the best bet would b a trade w/ Sacramento. But, I don't know wat they would want for the #5 pick.

[wiff]

David Lee is 100 times better than Brand. I would much rather have lee and green than 50 mil dollars worth of brand worthlessness and the #2 pick.

David Lee is 100% better than Brand n' a rookie.

Rule #1, don't waste Durant's career.

Ok Brad and Cousins essentially replace Ethan Thomas and Kevin Ollie on the roster.

How big of a role did those two have on this team? The Thunder were playing for home court with about two weeks left in the season.

No way, no how is trading for Cousins even remotely wasting Durants career. Every rookie they draft will get a three year garaunteed contract. Brand is only for three years max most likely two and a half.

Look I'm wanting OKC to be a championship caliber team for literally the next decade. David Lee is 27 years old. Cousins is 19years old. That's an extra 8 year of kicking ass!

Think long term people!

[Balkman32]

Best try would be to trade w/ Sac-Twn @ 5 to get Cousions. The top 4 should go Wall, Favors, Turner, and Johnson.

Nocioni and #5 for Collison, #21 and #26 might work.

[slick_watts]

Best try would be to trade w/ Sac-Twn @ 5 to get Cousions. The top 4 should go Wall, Favors, Turner, and Johnson.

Nocioni and #5 for Collison, #21 and #26 might work.

We have nothing that Sacramento would want. They need a big guy as much as we do. That's a horrible trade for them.

[Balkman32]

They have Hawes, Thompson, and Landry. Do they really need a Big Guy? I feel like Collison would be a nice fit in there with thoes big guy's.

I do understand that we do not have the ammo to go up and get him from Sac-Twn.