Chandler Rumors

[big L]

What do you guys make of the Chandler rumors? In Short, Smith, Wilcox and a first for Chandler:

http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm

Not a bad move, although Chandler's having an off year.

[wizkid27]

Hadn't read that rumor specifically. It's an interesting one... I would guess there would be some marketing appeal because it may get more of the OKC Hornets fans in the seats with Chandler's return.

I don't see that deal as a very high price to pay for a guy like Chandler, but as you said, he's having a pretty off year. He's on a large, but fairly reasonable contract for his skill-set. I would think that if we got Chandler, the goal would be to draft a 2 guard with the our top pick in the draft, or if we end up at #1, they would probably trade Green for a 2-guard. Lineup would look something like

Westbrook
Draft Pick (Harden?)
Durant
Green
Chandler

-or-

Westbrook
Trade for Guard
Durant
Griffin
Chandler

[SD2042]

It's an interesting option, ut I wonder how will Chandler's injury will hold up due to his off year this season.

[TheOGJabroni]

Hadn't read that rumor specifically. It's an interesting one... I would guess there would be some marketing appeal because it may get more of the OKC Hornets fans in the seats with Chandler's return.

I don't see that deal as a very high price to pay for a guy like Chandler, but as you said, he's having a pretty off year. He's on a large, but fairly reasonable contract for his skill-set. I would think that if we got Chandler, the goal would be to draft a 2 guard with the our top pick in the draft, or if we end up at #1, they would probably trade Green for a 2-guard. Lineup would look something like

Westbrook
Draft Pick (Harden?)
Durant
Green
Chandler

-or-

Westbrook
Trade for Guard
Durant
Griffin
Chandler

At first glance, that second team really catches my eye. But wow, if Green can really man up PF's on D, either of those teams look phenomenal for the future.

[wiff]

See now here is a rumor that makes sense to me.

Chandler is exactly what the Thunder need. A tall, athletic, defensive Center who can block shots and clean the glass. He doesn't need the ball to be effective and he gets most of his point off of the garbage he cleans off the glass. Plus there is no waiting time for him to develop like a Thabeet. The guy is still pretty young. At 26 he is at the beginning of his prime.



Now to me the big question is, what pick are they wanting from the Thunder???

I'm sure it's the Thunder's first not Denver's or San Antonio's.

Now Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox along with the Thunder's first for Tyson Chandler?

I'd pull the trigger on that in a second. Here's why.

You can keep playing some where between, .400 and .500 ball for the rest of the season and still miss out on Thabeet or Monroe.

Thabeet to me is projected to be a Dalembert kind of player. Well that's the same kind of player Chandler is. Plus there is no waiting time for production.

Chandler what you see is what you get. There is no risk of bust. Chandler is a Presti type of player too.

Lastly you throw him into the starting line up and you start winning today and you turn your top five pick (sitting fourth currently) into a late lottery pick because you are winning. Sure there is the risk of pulling a Chicago and still winning the lotto but the odds are NOT in your favor.

You get a good jump on next season, you start winning today and that rolls into next season when you have had 30 plus games and a preseason to start the gelling process.

Yes I'd willingly give up the Thunder's first, Smith and Wilcox for Chandler. Centers are the hardest spot to fill and he is great at what the Thunder need and he has a pretty reasonable contract.

The one and only hick up I'd be worried about is that if he doesn't exercise his player option on his contract. According to hoopshype he could opt out of his contract at the end of next season. But with the economy I think that would be unlikely. He would give up 12+mil and in this economy I seriously doubt he'll be getting a new contract that size. But since the guy has already played in OKC he should be able to give you an honest opinion if he liked it or not. I'd roll the dice on him re-signing in OKC.

Then maybe try to package the other two picks and move up for a SG.

I have to say though it will really be interesting to see how much teams are going to be throwing at the LeBrons and the Wades in this kind of economy during the 2010 offseason.

[wizkid27]

I don't think that the pick would be our top 5 one... Chandler has question marks around him with the injuries, and isn't just a phenomenal player aside from that. I just don't see the Thunder parting with 11 mil of expiring contracts and a top 5 pick for the guy... I think we could get him cheaper. At the very most, give them both of our later 1st round picks. That top pick is still a key part of this franchise's development. If we don't keep it, then what do we do at SG? Weaver is alright and all, but he's not a starting shooting guard on a winning team.

[london sonic]

I dont think Chandler will be that expensive with his lack of form and Hornets looking to shed salary I believe OKC could offer Joe Smith and Nick Collison.Hornets could be tempted to accept, Collison is a solid replacement for half the price of Chandler and Joe Smith expiring makes up the difference.

[Joel Embust]

Man I hope we can get both Salmons and Chandler, it would fill some huge holes.

Westbrook - Salmons - Durant - Green - Chandler

Next season:
Westbrook - Salmons - Durant - Griffin - Chandler
Green sixth man

[wiff]

I don't think that the pick would be our top 5 one... Chandler has question marks around him with the injuries, and isn't just a phenomenal player aside from that. I just don't see the Thunder parting with 11 mil of expiring contracts and a top 5 pick for the guy... I think we could get him cheaper. At the very most, give them both of our later 1st round picks. That top pick is still a key part of this franchise's development. If we don't keep it, then what do we do at SG? Weaver is alright and all, but he's not a starting shooting guard on a winning team.

Since Dec 31st the Thunder are something like 10-11 in their last 21 games. If they keep up that pace they be sitting around 27-55 for a record. I just don't think that come the end of the season the Thunder's pick is going to be valued nearly as high because the Thunder have put things together and have been winning at a decent clip and will fall out of the top 5.

Here are some of the last pick's with teams who finished around 27 wins.

Portland 27 wins 04-05 picked 6th Martell Webster= role player.

Toronto 27 wins 05-06 won the lotto Bustani= role player
Charlotte 27wins 05-06 3rd in lotto Ammo= bust/role player
Atlanta 26 wins 05-06 5th pick Shelden Williams=bust

Milwakee 28 wins 06-07 6th pick Yi =?

Mil 26 wins 07-08 picked 8th Joe Alexander=?

I think when this season is all said and done and by looking at the current standings I see the Thunder sitting around 7th come draft day. Sure they can win the lotto but do you really want to bank on that?

Plus typically there is always at least one team that jumps into the top three. So if the Thunder are not in the top 5, Griffin, Harden, Monroe, Thabeet, and Jordan Hill will all be gone. So then comes all the Westbrook wannabe's. The guys who are closer to SG's game but have PG's bodies.

Holiday
Teague
Jennings
Curry

I just think if the Thunder fall out of the top 5 the value of the pick plummets horribly in this draft.

Hey if Presti can get Chandler with out the Thunder's number 1 pick I'm all for it. But like I said I just don't think the pick is going to hold the same value it does now come June

[big L]

I don't think the NO deal would include our no. 1 as the Hornets are trying to clear salary--that pick is significantly more expensive than the lower ones.

With a couple first round picks, Chandler at center, and possibly Salmons in the lineup? Plus the kid in the Spanish league? Having some real talent would enable us to use our picks on pure talent rather than the always doomed strategy of selecting by position.

[wiff]

Man I hope we can get both Salmons and Chandler, it would fill some huge holes.

Westbrook - Salmons - Durant - Green - Chandler

Next season:
Westbrook - Salmons - Durant - Griffin - Chandler
Green sixth man

Isn't Joe Smith listed as the trade bait for both of these deals? I know the Thunder have a lot of expirings but you can't trade the guy to two places.

Maybe one of them will take Mason?

I will say this if Presti does manage to pull both of these deals off the guy should win GM of the year reguardless of what their record is at the end of the season.

[LuvOnTheRun]

you would be dump to include OKC's first round pick. chandler puts up 8/8 per game. thats just mediocre at best.

[wiff]

you would be dump to include OKC's first round pick. chandler puts up 8/8 per game. thats just mediocre at best.

Ok......the two years before he averaged over 11 boards a game and finished second and third in the league with rebounds.

Ask Tim Duncan what he thinks about Chandler's defense? Chandler shut Duncan down to 15.3pts a game during the playoffs last season.

Hardly mediocre.

[sonic-ben]

Chandler would be perfect .... complentry player

[mcmokken]

I agree with wiff. If it comes to trading the good pick this year for Chandler, go for it. It likely will not be top 5 anyway and the draft gets thin real quick after that. Here's a solution: Just make the pick 1-3 protected = )

[wiff]

I agree with wiff. If it comes to trading the good pick this year for Chandler, go for it. It likely will not be top 5 anyway and the draft gets thin real quick after that. Here's a solution: Just make the pick 1-3 protected = )

I was just thinking about that when I was making lunch.

I'd make the 2009 pick top 5 protected

or they can have the 2010 pick unprotected.

[wizkid27]

I might be able to handle it if the pick is top 5 protected. As others have said... this draft drops off quickly after the top few picks. However, I'm still holding out hope that the deal would include the higher of our other 1st rounders as the Hornets see it as a convenient cap dump in crappy economic times.

[mnkinga23]

I'd make the 2009 pick top 5 protected

or they can have the 2010 pick unprotected.

Unprotected picks are the way that you truly screw the franchise. Two years ago did Phoenix think that giving away an unprotected first rounder to the Thunder would be that big a deal? I doubt it, but now that they're contemplating dealing Amare Stoudamire, it looks like they may be headed for the lottery. The Knicks traded a draft pick to the Jazz in 2004 that six years later is unprotected, and the pick coincides with them slashing payroll for the summer of Lebron. That's just my rant about not giving up unprotected first round picks, they will come back to bite you.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/s ... ets-090130
As for the Chandler situation, the Thunder is doing the Hornets a favor by taking on Chandler's salary and allowing them to get under the luxury tax, so we don't have to give them a lottery pick too. I think that Denver's or San Antonio's pick will suffice. I wonder if Chandler is on the way up in his career path or on the way down because of the injuries?

[theokie]

Chandler would be an improvement at Center definitely. Hes a better rebounder and interior defender than anyone we have.

His best days are probably behind him, even at just 26, due to two reasons. The first is is the injuries. The second, well it may or may not happen, but i doubt he is gonna be as good as he was the previous two years with Chris Paul

[wiff]

I'd make the 2009 pick top 5 protected

or they can have the 2010 pick unprotected.

Unprotected picks are the way that you truly screw the franchise. Two years ago did Phoenix think that giving away an unprotected first rounder to the Thunder would be that big a deal? I doubt it, but now that they're contemplating dealing Amare Stoudamire, it looks like they may be headed for the lottery. The Knicks traded a draft pick to the Jazz in 2004 that six years later is unprotected, and the pick coincides with them slashing payroll for the summer of Lebron.

Phoenix may not of thought it was a very big deal but everyone else thought it was a huge mistake. Nash wasn't 20 he was 30. Of course you don't go trading future picks when you are dealing with aging players.

I don't think trading next years pick as unprotected when you land Chandler and can use this years top five lottery pick is that big of a risk. Personally I think the Thunder make the playoffs next year even is they just hang on to their pick and don't make a trade this deadline. I think some fine tuning this offseason, let Durant do his thing, while Green and Westbrook get a year older, add the draft pick and they make the playoffs.

I agree that when you are an older team trading your future picks is a good way to screw yourself but I just don't think it is that big of a risk for the Thunder. They are on an upswing.

Plus the Thunder still own the Suns 2010 pick and that should be a lottery pick with how things are shaking out for the Suns.