RealGM

A usually hot topic but lets get opinions. First the options

1. Keep him throughout the entirety of his contract
2. Keep him till a mid season trade with his expiring contract
3. Trade him in the off season
4. Amnesty

My thoughts on the 4 options.

1. I believe this will be the route that is taken. Perk most def has a role on this team..vs the Pacers, Mia, Hou, etc. He also has teams he shouldn't be getting min at all vs. It will take some growth from Brooks.

2. I think this is the lesser of the trade scenarios because Thunder will want to get some preseason work in with whomever is traded for...BUT if they were on the fence, decide to do nothing but come trade deadline a trade they can't refuse comes...

3. This seems more likely of the bottom 3 scenarios to me for the simple reason it allows time to gel. Also the team has picks and Jackson who are probably the highest pieces on the trading block that are worth anything (Thabeet probably doesn't have a big trade value).

4. I believe this to be the least likely scenario. A. It would be admitting an error...of which I think Presti and Co a lil proud. B. Amnesty doesn't get you under the cap so your replacement options are MLE level players (Martins 6.5 mill TPE is available here as well) C. It doesn't end up saving any money. (I posted somewhere on here the scenarios of Amnesty a while back...to lazy to reproduce or find it currently)

For the first time ever I could see him being amnestied. OKC has Adams now and he might need to be dumped in order to avoid the luxury tax.

*footnote that I use http://hoopshype.com/salaries/oklahoma_city.htm as my usual salary site lately.

theokie wrote:For the first time ever I could see him being amnestied. OKC has Adams now and he might need to be dumped in order to avoid the luxury tax.

So Adams starts and ? who backs up? I go up and down on amnesty

I'm pretty convinced that they'll keep him through the end of next season and maybe resigning him to a much smaller contract after that. Presti et al seem to like to keep guys around. Then again, because of this logic I was pretty surprised with both the Harden and Green trades...

wizkid27 wrote:I'm pretty convinced that they'll keep him through the end of next season and maybe resigning him to a much smaller contract after that. Presti et al seem to like to keep guys around. Then again, because of this logic I was pretty surprised with both the Harden and Green trades...

To the Harden and Green thing, both had similar players on the team that were better.
Green had Durant playing the 3 and Ibaka needing to play the 4.
Harden had Durant and Westbrook being ball dominant players.

Is Adams to the point of Perk is in his way? I think it's getting closer.

Perk on a min/close to min contract would be nice.

Podirk wrote:

theokie wrote:For the first time ever I could see him being amnestied. OKC has Adams now and he might need to be dumped in order to avoid the luxury tax.

So Adams starts and ? who backs up? I go up and down on amnesty

Collison with PJ3 getting Collison's current minutes. Perry Jones was out of the rotation when Westbrook.

comingbacktousa wrote:

Podirk wrote:

theokie wrote:For the first time ever I could see him being amnestied. OKC has Adams now and he might need to be dumped in order to avoid the luxury tax.

So Adams starts and ? who backs up? I go up and down on amnesty

Collison with PJ3 getting Collison's current minutes. Perry Jones was out of the rotation when Westbrook.

So lineups in that scenario would be:

Westbrook, Jackson
Sef?, Lamb
Durant, Roberson
Ibaka, Jones
Adams, Collison

Russ, Reg
?????, Lamb
Durant, Jones, Roberson
Ibaka, Collison
Adams, Pleiss
That's ~60 mill + Starting SG + Pleiss

In either scenario if amnesty is the route (which is looking a little better) I would think a vet big would be needed as insurance. That's a lot of youth and hope in the 5 spot in the 2nd scenario.

Whatever the case may be, I'd love to see Perkins gone. Pleiss could fill the hole. But I still think, whether we won the championship or not that will decide his fate !


Westbrook,Jackson,Pick

Lamb,free agent(or pick),Roberson

Durant,Jones,Roberson

Ibaka,Collison,(Durant & Jones optionally)

Adams, Pleiss,Thabeet ??

Abrines,Jerrett ??? maybe

I think Sef will not be re-sign.

Podirk wrote:
So lineups in that scenario would be:

Westbrook, Jackson
Sef?, Lamb
Durant, Roberson
Ibaka, Jones
Adams, Collison

Russ, Reg
?????, Lamb
Durant, Jones, Roberson
Ibaka, Collison
Adams, Pleiss
That's ~60 mill + Starting SG + Pleiss

In either scenario if amnesty is the route (which is looking a little better) I would think a vet big would be needed as insurance. That's a lot of youth and hope in the 5 spot in the 2nd scenario.

If Perkins is traded away, I'd like Jackson to be used and not a pick. And at least OKC's first rounder is spent on a pg. That would free up about 11 million just from their contracts. So OKC would be able to add Pleiss, and 2 to 3 vets. I think theres a lot of quality backup point guards OKC could chose from like Steve Blake, Mo Williams, etc. For a wing, Sef?, Shannon Brown, Marvin Williams, Jefferson, Marion even maybe?. For a possible big man, Kaman, Brand, Okafor.

So something like
Westbrook/3 mill vet point guard/prospect draft pick
Roberson/Lamb
Durant/Jones/vet wing
Ibaka/Jones/Collison
Adams/Collison/Pleiss/vet center?

That scenario would be taking more of a ring chaser approach but would keep from having to worry about signing Jackson. And say 2 year 6 million for the vets would keep plenty of flexibility.

http://newsok.com/okc-thunder-kendrick-perkins-motivated-to-improve-on-last-seasons-performance/article/3871206

“I've been working, man,” Perkins said. “Been in the gym and basically just working more in the weight room on my explosiveness and touch around the basket, hook shots and stuff like that. I've been shooting a lot of jumpers, making sure I make 300 a night. I'm just trying to prepare.”

More of this type of stuff. 300 jumpers a night.

His contract turns into a valuable asset next season. Doubt he's amnestied.

Pleiss is probably coming over this summer, our PF/C rotation with Collison/Ibaka/Adams/Pleiss look good, even more with Durant and Jones as situationals, so he turns expendable.

I bet we keep him until the deadline and trade him along Reggie Jackson for assets. Wild card is that the Thunder trade him before next season, on this year's deadline or in the offseason. If so, I wonder who will be the Nazr Mohammed this time.

comingbacktousa wrote:If Perkins is traded away, I'd like Jackson to be used and not a pick. And at least OKC's first rounder is spent on a pg. That would free up about 11 million just from their contracts. So OKC would be able to add Pleiss, and 2 to 3 vets. I think theres a lot of quality backup point guards OKC could chose from like Steve Blake, Mo Williams, etc. For a wing, Sef?, Shannon Brown, Marvin Williams, Jefferson, Marion even maybe?. For a possible big man, Kaman, Brand, Okafor.

So something like
Westbrook/3 mill vet point guard/prospect draft pick
Roberson/Lamb
Durant/Jones/vet wing
Ibaka/Jones/Collison
Adams/Collison/Pleiss/vet center?

That scenario would be taking more of a ring chaser approach but would keep from having to worry about signing Jackson. And say 2 year 6 million for the vets would keep plenty of flexibility.

All vets mentioned above can be had with the MLE and TPE that the Thunder currently own...but most likely a portion of those Vets would be had with the Perk/Reggie trade

I'm a person who doesn't like a lot of change at a time...and that's not necessarily a good thing.

Losing Perk, Thabo, Fish and Reggie all playing heavy rotation minutes currently scares the poop out of me (and only 1 of those players is intriguing).

I'm with bbms partially. I think he's either traded in the offseason/next year with Jackson, or is kept and resigns a cheaper deal as a backup to Adams. I don't worry about losing Fisher (he's mainly for a veteran presence, which the team is getting old enough to do w/o), and I'd say Thabo's possibly gonna be too expensive (but starting to hope not, as he's playing a bit better of late and his defense is needed). I think Jackson gets traded unfortunately.

Podirk wrote:1. Keep him throughout the entirety of his contract

Try to extend him at a cheaper cost and have him accept the role of situation center.

Why is everybody already saying their goodbyes to Jackson. OKC has eventually to break into luxury tax to win. Durant is not going to stay with thunder if they keep giving away their players just to stay below luxury. Pacers are now in similar position that thunder were 2 years ago with harden decision, they have Stephenson decision. And i am betting that they are going to sign him to 10-12 mil, and not just let him go/trade for some future flexibility.

Bravenewworld wrote:

Podirk wrote:1. Keep him throughout the entirety of his contract

Try to extend him at a cheaper cost and have him accept the role of situation center.

Most likely scenario.

cumaethor wrote:

Bravenewworld wrote:

Podirk wrote:1. Keep him throughout the entirety of his contract

Try to extend him at a cheaper cost and have him accept the role of situation center.

Most likely scenario.

It needs to be. A lot of people talk **** about Perkins but fail to realize his value. He makes it so much easier for the Thunder to win series against the teams with bigger low post guys. Memphis, Houston, Warriors and IMO he will be needed when we reach the finals this year against the Pacers.... yup i said it.

Bravenewworld wrote:

cumaethor wrote:

Bravenewworld wrote:
Try to extend him at a cheaper cost and have him accept the role of situation center.

Most likely scenario.

It needs to be. A lot of people talk **** about Perkins but fail to realize his value. He makes it so much easier for the Thunder to win series against the teams with bigger low post guys. Memphis, Houston, Warriors and IMO he will be needed when we reach the finals this year against the Pacers.... yup i said it.

I too believe he will be resigned (though the importance of putting together a team to win Durant a ring and keep him is there) and futher, it's getting harder and harder to see Thabo gone. I know Lamb needs and deserves more minutes. I want to see Andre get some consistent minutes. But Even with Thabo hitting the big 30 and losing his shot, the Thunder pride themselves in consistency. I could see a cheap 3 year deal being offered. Something that wouldn't hinder the growth and future sustaining of Lamb, Adams.