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With the PG trade everyone is now wondering what happens to Russ.

I've played around with the trade machine and although I would love to say there are plenty of teams that want Russ, I don't think there are plenty of teams that are building for that final star to get the championship that ALSO have the $38 mill to match salary.

Utah is all I can think of (even though I think it's a bad move for them). I would love to hear anyone else's ideas about where Presti could trade Russ.

Otherwise with all the recent signings in free agency it would be best to wait till the trade deadline and the other team would have to replicate the Blake to Detroit scenario (sign then trade a few months later).

With all the incoming picks from the trade I think that if Presti is willing to offload all of them there is a way to get both Beal and Blake Griffin.

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong but is this trade an option - provided Presti sends all of the picks from the PG trade to Detroit and sprinkle a few other future picks (LAC, Heat, or OKC) to the others?

But basically Presti would be going absolutely all in at the poker table. Mortgaging the future completely. Maybe even doing a Billy King with future years OKC picks as well.

I don't think he'd do it. Personally I wouldn't do it. I think if he can't find a taker he rides it out with Russ and at the deadline maybe the Bucks send out salary and picks for Russ, but if you could - would you?

Btw - tweak it (anyone). Detroit isn't getting much back (but the motivation for them specifically is that they would make the moves to do a full rebuild from the ground up, wanting expirings and a boatload of picks) so if you can tweak it that would be great.

But the general super basic idea is there - zig if you can't zag with the picks from the trade, OKC picks, and the rest of the roster as ammo.

Would you do it?

Btw not an OKC fan... just an NBA fan.

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yyxpwou9

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Now that George is gone, Russ needs to be moved too. It's not something I'd take lightly, but it's the way to go forward. They already tried to keep going for the last three seasons. For various reasons it didn't work out. Now it's time to go the other way.

If Detroit were the third team, would sam really take Reggie back? Surely he would find a way to send him to a third team, right?

Our summer league jerseys are cooler than our real ones.
Edit- I’m in the wrong thread. Sorry.

of course he should trade westbrook. the only reason the russ team remained viable last year is because of george. the thunder were -9pp100 with westbrook in the game and george out. they aren't getting another paul george and trying to replace him in aggregate would be a foolish risk. someone who tells you the thunder should keep westbrook for any reason at this point is speaking with their hearts, not their brains.

Trade Russ. The Clippers gave us a get out of jail free card. Trying to trade for players worse than Paul George to fake contend again would be getting acquitted of murder and then walking over and stabbing a bailiff.

It depends on what the market offers, if it is something similar what we got for PG go ahead and trade him, if not simple do a retool, we can make playoffs 7-8.

Squigglepuffin wrote:With the PG trade everyone is now wondering what happens to Russ.

I've played around with the trade machine and although I would love to say there are plenty of teams that want Russ, I don't think there are plenty of teams that are building for that final star to get the championship that ALSO have the $38 mill to match salary.

Utah is all I can think of (even though I think it's a bad move for them). I would love to hear anyone else's ideas about where Presti could trade Russ.

Otherwise with all the recent signings in free agency it would be best to wait till the trade deadline and the other team would have to replicate the Blake to Detroit scenario (sign then trade a few months later).

With all the incoming picks from the trade I think that if Presti is willing to offload all of them there is a way to get both Beal and Blake Griffin.

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong but is this trade an option - provided Presti sends all of the picks from the PG trade to Detroit and sprinkle a few other future picks (LAC, Heat, or OKC) to the others?

But basically Presti would be going absolutely all in at the poker table. Mortgaging the future completely. Maybe even doing a Billy King with future years OKC picks as well.

I don't think he'd do it. Personally I wouldn't do it. I think if he can't find a taker he rides it out with Russ and at the deadline maybe the Bucks send out salary and picks for Russ, but if you could - would you?

Btw - tweak it (anyone). Detroit isn't getting much back (but the motivation for them specifically is that they would make the moves to do a full rebuild from the ground up, wanting expirings and a boatload of picks) so if you can tweak it that would be great.

But the general super basic idea is there - zig if you can't zag with the picks from the trade, OKC picks, and the rest of the roster as ammo.

Would you do it?

Btw not an OKC fan... just an NBA fan.

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yyxpwou9

Sent from my SM-G920F using RealGM mobile app

Detroit would never do that. No reason and no benefit unless we get all the draft picks you just got.

Keeping him makes more sense to me. None of the teams we can trade him to would contend for anything. We had a 49 win team last year and should've had a few more but injuries and a few losses to bad teams hindered us.

We lost Paul George but got SGA and Gallo in return, Gallo is a pretty good player when he's healthy and he only missed 14 games last season. If he doesn't work out he's an expiring anyway and he could be dealt at the deadline. We have enough assets if Presti really wanted to he could get Beal or someone simillar to pair with Russ. SGA and a pick would get a deal done for Beal.

Part of me also wants to blow it up, but I would rather rebuild while staying somewhat competitive and let Russ get his money. Better that than him wasting away on the Pistons or Knicks. He could go to Miami and take Adams. Russ, Butler and Adams plus being Miami would be enticing to alot of players. Problem is, we aren't going to trade with Miami because we want their pick to hold its value.

It's time to move on. There's not a player in the NBA that you can add to Russ and have a better duo than the ones in LA, and then the team around them will also be worse.

acheema0 wrote:Trade Russ. The Clippers gave us a get out of jail free card. Trying to trade for players worse than Paul George to fake contend again would be getting acquitted of murder and then walking over and stabbing a bailiff.

I came over to read you guys' thoughts on the Russ situation and read this comment. This is the funniest analogy I've ever read . Lol ok, sorry to derail, carry on.

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Squigglepuffin wrote:With all the incoming picks from the trade I think that if Presti is willing to offload all of them there is a way to get both Beal and Blake Griffin.

It is now being reported that Kawhi's offer was bring in Beal or PG to get me to sign. Supposedly he made offer to both Toronto and LAC with the LAL threat being his leverage. Assuming that is accurate I would have gone after Beal first, if I was LAC. Beal is younger, cheaper and arguably just as good as PG, especially after surgery on both shoulders and PG now hitting 30 with multiple concerning injuries and rumored to be out until December due to the shoulders. That implies, to me, that Washington rejected the offer that got PG. So that means Presti doesn't have the assets to get Beal much less Beal and another star.

That is ignoring that Russ/Beal/Blake isn't really a great building block. Blake and Russ have had too many injuries and are both on the wrong side of 30. Beal as your best player isn't getting you very far in the West right now. I wouldn't put them in the WCF and I'm not sure they would be better than LAC, LAL, Utah, Denver or Houston and with the limited depth it could very easily just be more 1st round exits and then Beal leaves in two years for nothing and then where does that leave OKC?

Kizz Fastfists wrote:

Squigglepuffin wrote:With all the incoming picks from the trade I think that if Presti is willing to offload all of them there is a way to get both Beal and Blake Griffin.

It is now being reported that Kawhi's offer was bring in Beal or PG to get me to sign. Supposedly he made offer to both Toronto and LAC with the LAL threat being his leverage. Assuming that is accurate I would have gone after Beal first, if I was LAC. Beal is younger, cheaper and arguably just as good as PG, especially after surgery on both shoulders and PG now hitting 30 with multiple concerning injuries and rumored to be out until December due to the shoulders. That implies, to me, that Washington rejected the offer that got PG. So that means Presti doesn't have the assets to get Beal much less Beal and another star.

That is ignoring that Russ/Beal/Blake isn't really a great building block. Blake and Russ have had too many injuries and are both on the wrong side of 30. Beal as your best player isn't getting you very far in the West right now. I wouldn't put them in the WCF and I'm not sure they would be better than LAC, LAL, Utah, Denver or Houston and with the limited depth it could very easily just be more 1st round exits and then Beal leaves in two years for nothing and then where does that leave OKC?

There is zero argument to be made that Beal is as good as PG.

I would go all in to tank if I was OKC. They have a bunch of PG's in next years draft. Trade Adams to a team like Boston who has next years Memphis pick.

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basketballRob wrote:I would go all in to tank if I was OKC. They have a bunch of PG's in next years draft. Trade Adams to a team like Boston who has next years Memphis pick.

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Isn't this kid they got from the Clippers a point guard?

It's 100% rebuild and reload time. The question is whether Westbrook wants to be a part of that. If he does, then maybe you just let him do his thing with a bunch of young guys. You know it wouldn't amount to many wins in his current form anyways, so it's not like we'd be sacrificing a great pick for a mediocre pick.

If Westbrook does not want to be a part of a rebuild, which would be totally understandable, then you work with him on possible trade destinations.

acheema0 wrote:Trade Russ. The Clippers gave us a get out of jail free card. Trying to trade for players worse than Paul George to fake contend again would be getting acquitted of murder and then walking over and stabbing a bailiff.

LOL - I mean you are right. Not being able to beat the Jazz and Blazers, should have been a serious sign.

Keeping Russ means you bring him off the bench and let him run the 2nd until. Unless the offense we have been seeing is the real Donovan offense. If we assume Presti hired a competent coach then we need Russ off the court for the young players to learn and develop in the offensive system and not learn to be worthless by watching Russ and not moving.

Pillendreher wrote:

basketballRob wrote:I would go all in to tank if I was OKC. They have a bunch of PG's in next years draft. Trade Adams to a team like Boston who has next years Memphis pick.

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Isn't this kid they got from the Clippers a point guard?

Yeah, but he's big enough to guard 2's and will play off the ball next to a ball dominant guy (i.e. Lou will). One of the things to really like is how much versatility he gives us.

Also, if you're going full rebuild you don't worry about the guys you already have. Get the best players possible and figure out fit after you see which ones are with keeping.

I would trade Russ, but they probably only do it to a contender or somewhere he wants to go, and I'd maximize assets over a clean cap sheet. For the record, if OKC can get Herro and a couple more picks out of Miami I'd do that deal with bad salary coming back. Seems best for all parties.