Trading Ilyasova for Grant...disaster

[sleestak33]

Still not remotely understanding this trade and it's funny nobody really has talked about it since if you compare the two player's performances they're night and day. Ilyasova since being traded to Philly has averaged 15 pts. and 6 rbds. (36% on 3s) in 27 minutes per game (he's now with Atlanta) and Grant since coming to OKC has averaged 5 pts and 2 rbds. in 19 minutes per game. Ilyasova obviously is a far superior player offensively and last year he actually led the entire NBA in charges taken so he's a solid defender. Grant is basically a little better version of Roberson...a defensively gifted player who offers almost nothing offensively and with the loss of KD they really couldn't afford to get rid of a guy like Ilyasova who can space the floor and score from outside and in. The love that Sam Presti has for defensive one way players has really put this team into a position right now where they are struggling massively and you can see it in their performances the last 5-6 games because they just don't have enough offense and their lack of offensive efficiency is actually bleeding into the defense because teams are getting tons of transition baskets off bad shots being taken. Heck, Ilyasova is a better overall player than Gibson so had they kept him they wouldn't have even needed that trade. Another one of Presti's headscratchers.

[Pillendreher]

Grant is complete and utter trash compared to Robes. He's worse both offensively and defensively and it's not even close.

Presti was looking for a Ibaka clone and a cheap way to replace Robes. That failed miserably.

[ThunderBolt]

I agree with some of that but I don't think Ilyasova would be a solid contributor if still on the team. We wouldn't use him right. He would just stand on the wing like everyone else and become what McDermott has become.

[Balkman32]

Its the inclusion of the first round pick that is the issue. But, maybe Sammy wanted to lightly tie up that first round pick so other teams would/could not ask for it in deals. Grant is shooting 38% from 3 and does a decent job protecting the rim when he is guarding the bigs. I would not call this trade a disaster since he just turned 23 and we might re-sign him to a deal this summer. I think he is the guy that will get unleashed in the playoffs.

[Balkman32]

Ilyasova is not better than Gibson. STOP IT.

[Pillendreher]

Its the inclusion of the first round pick that is the issue. But, maybe Sammy wanted to lightly tie up that first round pick so other teams would/could not ask for it in deals. Grant is shooting 38% from 3 and does a decent job protecting the rim when he is guarding the bigs. I would not call this trade a disaster since he just turned 23 and we might re-sign him to a deal this summer. I think he is the guy that will get unleashed in the playoffs.

Grant first needs to understand how basketball even works. He might have the lowest BBIQ on the team.

[ThunderBolt]

Its the inclusion of the first round pick that is the issue. But, maybe Sammy wanted to lightly tie up that first round pick so other teams would/could not ask for it in deals. Grant is shooting 38% from 3 and does a decent job protecting the rim when he is guarding the bigs. I would not call this trade a disaster since he just turned 23 and we might re-sign him to a deal this summer. I think he is the guy that will get unleashed in the playoffs.

I totally agree about adding the pick. That seemed like it was thrown in as if it were nothing. Plus when you consider philly acquired an additional pick when they traded him to Atlanta, it makes our trade look worse.

[bondom34]

Wait better than Gibson like Taj? Lol

[sleestak33]

Wait better than Gibson like Taj? Lol

Yes...LOL. He averages 4 more points per game in the same number of minutes while Gibson averages 1 more rebound (Gibson is predominantly down low meaning he will get more rebounds on sheer positioning but the main difference is Ilyasova is a 3 pt. threat which is so valuable in the NBA right now while Gibson simply isn't a good perimeter shooter at all. He's a much more versatile offensive threat and his ability to take charges (as we used to see with Collison) is valuable because those are like steals since they give you possession of the ball (he lead the entire NBA in charges taken last year) and how many players today are even willing to take a charge? Like I said, Ilyasova is a ridiculously better overall player than Grant and had they kept him they wouldn't have even needed Taj Gibson because he's a superior player. They're not going to be able to keep Gibson anyway so that makes it even more stupid.

[Andre Roberstan]

Ilya is not better than Gibson because defense is a thing.

[bondom34]

Wait better than Gibson like Taj? Lol

Yes...LOL. He averages 4 more points per game in the same number of minutes while Gibson averages 1 more rebound (Gibson is predominantly down low meaning he will get more rebounds on sheer positioning but the main difference is Ilyasova is a 3 pt. threat which is so valuable in the NBA right now while Gibson simply isn't a good perimeter shooter at all. He's a much more versatile offensive threat and his ability to take charges (as we used to see with Collison) is valuable because those are like steals since they give you possession of the ball (he lead the entire NBA in charges taken last year) and how many players today are even willing to take a charge? Like I said, Ilyasova is a ridiculously better overall player than Grant and had they kept him they wouldn't have even needed Taj Gibson because he's a superior player. They're not going to be able to keep Gibson anyway so that makes it even more stupid.

I cant even begin to explain everything wrong here other than defense is half the game and just everything being wrong.

And dude, seriously paragraphs.

[oken]

Ersan is actually 31 years old not 29. I guess that was the problem for Presti and seeing his "teen crush" I believe he won't pay Gibson this summer either. Comparing Taj and Ersan are both above average role players beneficial to their teams in different ways but I fully agree with the previous post that he would quickly turn into McDermott v2.0 here as we have seen the signs of that in just 3 games he played here.

[retrobro90]

Ersan is in a contract year too. He would've only been around for this season. We also got his trade exception along with grant which is hugely important considering most of our money is tied up next year as it is. Gives us future trade flexibility and grant is on a great deal for this year and next. He's been awesome post ASB too especially on the defensive end and he's made a lot of big shots down the stretch. That first rounder has a very small chance of converting. Probably will turn into 2nd's and those are not hard to come by.

[oken]

Ersan is in a contract year too. He would've only been around for this season. We also got his trade exception along with grant which is hugely important considering most of our money is tied up next year as it is. Gives us future trade flexibility and grant is on a great deal for this year and next. He's been awesome post ASB too especially on the defensive end and he's made a lot of big shots down the stretch. That first rounder has a very small chance of converting. Probably will turn into 2nd's and those are not hard to come by.

It seems they already used some of that exception in Payne deal and now only $4.9mln remain until November 1.

[Pillendreher]

Ersan is in a contract year too. He would've only been around for this season. We also got his trade exception along with grant which is hugely important considering most of our money is tied up next year as it is. Gives us future trade flexibility and grant is on a great deal for this year and next. He's been awesome post ASB too especially on the defensive end and he's made a lot of big shots down the stretch. That first rounder has a very small chance of converting. Probably will turn into 2nd's and those are not hard to come by.

In what way has Grant been 'awesome'? He's 79th out of 80 SFs in RPM. He has made a total of 8 3s while shooting 34 %. He's got the team's 3rd worst NetRtG since the ASB (they've only been worse with DMD and Christon on the floor).

He's raw was **** and his impact stats are beyond terrible. He needs at least another couple of years before he can be called 'average'.

[spearsy23]

Ilya is not better than Gibson because defense is a thing.

If defense is a thing then why doesn't things box score have a place for it? Checkmate.

[Balkman32]

Grant was NEEDED for this Rockets series. He looks he will be a nice backup PF in the future.

[spearsy23]

Grant was NEEDED for this Rockets series. He looks he will be a nice backup PF in the future.

He played well. Unfortunately Adams is showing what one great playoff series really means.

[getrichordie]

Smart trade by Presti. Presti is looking into the future. If Westbrook re-signs, you're flexible and have contracts that add up to continuity which is really important. If he doesn't, then what good is an aging Ilyasova? Presti knew that making the playoffs was as far as this team would get.

[slick_watts]

who would have thought that a 22 year old 2nd round pick the mighty sixers were willing to give up on is a bad player?