OKC Thunder Offseason: Avengers Assemble

[Dn4sty]

I don't know of any 2016 guys that teams are ready to move on from but I am sure it will start to show in in the beginning of the season. I would think these are guys on rookie scales that we could pry away from a team. I also think we could probably get a point guard from the Bulls. If that's worth our while.

2015:

Tyus Jones
Bobby Portis
Stanley Johnson
Emmanuel Mudiay
Willie Cauley-Stein
Mario Hezonja

2014:

Bruno Caboclo
T. J. Warren
Noah Vonleh
Nik Stauskas
Julius Randle
Dante Exum
Aaron Gordon

I like Randle more than most. I also like Gordon but i dont know if we could pry him away. He's isn't really a stretch four since he can't shoot the three. Nik Stauskas would be nice to have if we could get him cheap.

Randle would also fit into the trade exception left over from the Grant/Ilyasova trade.

Wonder if OKC could swing some sort of 3 team deal where Clarkson and Randle came to OKC (cap space clearing move for Lakers next summer), and Kanter went to a 3rd team. I think if it was a given Kanter would opt out, then Lakers would do Clarkson/Randle for Kanter straight up.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Wonder if OKC could swing some sort of 3 team deal where Clarkson and Randle came to OKC (cap space clearing move for Lakers next summer), and Kanter went to a 3rd team. I think if it was a given Kanter would opt out, then Lakers would do Clarkson/Randle for Kanter straight up.

Kanter won't opt out. If he opts out he won't get a contract that totals what he would make next year. Same reason Greg Monroe didn't opt out this off-season. The cap spikes are gone and teams are not going to overpay for a center at this point. Noel couldn't even get a RFA offer this off-season. In a few years after the Noah, Mozgov and Kanter contracts are gone there will be another group of declining/mediocre centers that get overpaid. It's just going to take a few years for GMs to repeat that mistake again.

[Balkman32]

The Lakers are not taking on contracts unless it helps them get rid of Loual Deng. I would think that they will try to put Deng and Randall in the same deal. They want to be big players in free agency and they would have to do that deal before the trade deadline since Randal is a RFA.

[bondom34]

https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/2017/8/15/16139898/paul-george-russell-westbrook-sam-presti-metrics-2017

[RalphSampsonJr]

I'm listening to the Katz Dunc'd On OKC Offseason pod right now. Will update as I listen.

• They're both high on Adams. Duncan likes him a lot. Katz makes the point that Adams disengages on defense when he doesn't get touches, and expects that to improve this year. Spacing will solve a lot. Adams is really bright, both personally and in terms of BBIQ. He'll figure out a lot as he goes forward..

Unless Katz has been told this by Adams himself I wouldn't agree with that at all.
Adams has always said in interviews that offense and stats are not his concern and he takes a lot more pride on defense.
I think he played so poorly mid/late last season because of the increased work load on the defense end.
He was saying in the exit interview how different it was not having Ibaka there to clean up the mess. He went from that to having a rookie at the 4.
If Pat can hold his own next to him, I don't see him wearing down as quickly.
Same with offense. He will have plenty more room to play in the paint with Pat and PG spreading the floor a lot more

[Balkman32]

https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/2017/8/15/16139898/paul-george-russell-westbrook-sam-presti-metrics-2017

Congrats Man! That's awesome that you are writing articles now!

[jambalaya]

If Russ doesn't re-sign, I'd think he'd want LA ( probably Clips) or modest chance NYK.

[jambalaya]

If Russ does leave OKC probably gets its best free agent ever, anywhere but Center. Not saying great or immediate but somebody will come for money & shots, at least better than any previous.

[bondom34]

LAC has no money.

[Kizz Fastfists]

If Russ doesn't re-sign, I'd think he'd want LA ( probably Clips) or modest chance NYK.

I think Denver or SA. He's not leaving to go to the Knicks. He'll leave for a better situation to win he won't just run to LA or NY because they are LA and NY. The Clippers might be able to clear the space, but it would cost them DeAndre. If the Lakers can move Deng they will have space for two max FAs which could make them a possibility if they think they can turn Ball into a Harden type of SG.

Minny might be able to pull a crazy S&T if they could get someone to take Teague and Dieng/Aldrich for something to send to OKC. If the Bucks can take a step forward this year I could see them being able to clear the salary and try to sell Russ on the East being an easier path.

If PG stays then Russ will stay because he won't find a better team. If PG leaves then Russ will be looking for a place to win as much as a place that can give him the max. He might even take less than the max to win. Keep in mind that Russ took less on his 2nd contract only getting 25% of the cap when he could have gotten 30%. kd's agent fought for him to get 30% after the CBA changed when he had agreed to terms under the old CBA and the 25% max. This is what makes kd taking less money now disgusting. If kd hadn't demanded the 30% on his 2nd contract, which the NBA later admitted they screwed up by allowing him to get and gave OKC some money back, Harden probably doesn't get traded.

[jambalaya]

Clips could probably move Gallinari or Jordan(& whatever else needed) and probably would if given opportunity.

Knicks would give Russ the world's biggest press- basketball and fashion- and the challenge to do what no one has done there in basketball in almost 45 years. He might be into that.

We'll eventually find out. Seems unlikely he will re-sign before season starts. Most said, re-sign or investigate trade immediately. Almost no one is saying that now. The risk he walks for nothing is real. S&T with Clips might be consolation prize.

[bondom34]

If the Clippers without Gallo and/or Jordan are where he wants to go, that's a pretty bad team to leave to to win more.

[jambalaya]

Is he All About Winning? I think he is 80% about Russ & family.

[bondom34]

Which would actually make me think he'd stay.

[Balkman32]

Don't worry about Westbrook's contract. Lets just enjoy the season!!

[Kizz Fastfists]

Which would actually make me think he'd stay.

Unless his wife wants to be at "home" in LA all year and/or wants their kid(s) to grow up in LA around family, etc. I'm not saying that is the case, but that would make going to LA putting the family first. I've never heard a quote from Russ saying anything about where he wants to live. I have heard him say repeatedly that he is about winning and that his stats don't matter winning does, etc.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Don't worry about Westbrook's contract. Lets just enjoy the season!!

I agree. Enjoy this season. It will be as great as last season.

[ThunderBolt]

If Russ only cared about winning he wouldn't have signed an extension last offseason.

[hardenASG13]

If Russ only cared about winning he wouldn't have signed an extension last offseason.

He basically just reclassified to the star studded 2018 free agency class, rather than being a free agent this summer, and got an $8 million raise for doing it, I believe. Not to mention playing up the loyalty aspect to angry okc fans after kd left, even though he was only committing 1 more year, and basically just made it so they didn't have to trade him last year. His next contract will be for a title contending team. Whether that's okc will depend on Paul George, which is why he smartly hasn't committed either way.

[ThunderBolt]

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