RealGM

The thought from any and all people in attendance Sunday was that this story has one ending: Westbrook will be traded at some point...the prevailing opinion among insiders is that the Miami Heat are the most likely landing spot.

The mechanics of a trade with Miami will be difficult because the Heat are hard-capped. They...have pieces, including Goran Dragic's $19 million expiring contract and forward Justise Winslow, that seem like reasonable building blocks in such a deal.

HMFFL wrote:

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hawks_fan25 wrote:OKC is taking advantage of everyone in win-now mode. Sure they are blowing it up and they will be terrible for a few years, but they are setting themselves up for success for years to come. Once they trade Westbrook and get probably about 4 picks for him they will be loaded with future assets. Not to mention they still have other pieces that teams might want at the deadline. They are fast-tracking a rebuild. I’m impressed.

Why Jerami Grant Was the One of the Best Acquisitions of the NBA Offseason

The Denver Nuggets may have found the perfect frontcourt partner for Nikola Jokic



No one would blame you if you missed this other bit of Thunder news: OKC traded Jerami Grant to the Nuggets for a top-10 protected 2020 first-round pick. For the Thunder, it was a move to avoid the repeater tax. For the Nuggets, Grant is the steal of the summer.

As good as the Nuggets were last season, they severely lacked a quality wing or forward who could complement Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray on offense and cover for them on defense. That’s where Grant comes in: The Nuggets didn’t add a star, but they did acquire a player who gives them a chance to neutralize opposing stars. It’s become a cliché to call a player a five-position defender, but Grant truly is one. He is 6-foot-9 and effectively defends players of varying size and skills. He can battle bigs and protect the rim as a shot blocker:



Grant’s offense could also make Jokic even more deadly; he overhauled his shooting mechanics, removing a hitch and adjusting his release point, making him a reliable spot-up shooter; Grant gives Jokic a target to pass to either as a spot-up shooter or as a cutter.

The Nuggets had to give up only a protected first-round pick for Grant. All the Nuggets need for this deal to be a slam dunk is for Grant to re-sign. This was their best chance to add an ideal frontcourt partner for Jokic’s present and future.

Jamaaliver wrote:Is this kid that impactful? Is this the type of player we can expect Sekou to eventually develop into?

Why Jerami Grant Was the One of the Best Acquisitions of the NBA Offseason

The Denver Nuggets may have found the perfect frontcourt partner for Nikola Jokic



No one would blame you if you missed this other bit of Thunder news: OKC traded Jerami Grant to the Nuggets for a top-10 protected 2020 first-round pick. For the Thunder, it was a move to avoid the repeater tax. For the Nuggets, Grant is the steal of the summer.

As good as the Nuggets were last season, they severely lacked a quality wing or forward who could complement Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray on offense and cover for them on defense. That’s where Grant comes in: The Nuggets didn’t add a star, but they did acquire a player who gives them a chance to neutralize opposing stars. It’s become a cliché to call a player a five-position defender, but Grant truly is one. He is 6-foot-9 and effectively defends players of varying size and skills. He can battle bigs and protect the rim as a shot blocker:



Grant’s offense could also make Jokic even more deadly; he overhauled his shooting mechanics, removing a hitch and adjusting his release point, making him a reliable spot-up shooter; Grant gives Jokic a target to pass to either as a spot-up shooter or as a cutter.

The Nuggets had to give up only a protected first-round pick for Grant. All the Nuggets need for this deal to be a slam dunk is for Grant to re-sign. This was their best chance to add an ideal frontcourt partner for Jokic’s present and future.

The Ringer

King Ken wrote:

Jamaaliver wrote:So his previous agent got him a life-changing $70 million contract offer.

But his current agent has him playing on a veteran's minimum deal.

Sounds like Rich Paul isn't very effective when LeBron isn't around to strong arm the team.

If Rich did such a bad job, why hasn't Nerlens fired him yet? IT0 fired his agent as did Boogie Cousins once the bag disappeared.

King Ken wrote:He is a damn good agent. Why should I not like him? Your critique is rubbish.

...If they were really mad, they would have fired his ass by now.

Trae Young reacts to Russell Westbrook trade, discusses rookie season with Atlanta Hawks

In between addressing campers and dazzling them with dribbling tricks, Young caught up with local media to discuss his rookie season season with the Hawks and his thoughts on the Russell Westbrook trade.


Having grown up here, what was your reaction to the Russell Westbrook trade?

Young: “Oh, it was tough. It was tough just because I remember going, I’ve had season tickets since he was a rookie. It’s crazy seeing him go. I know people in Oklahoma will welcome him back whenever they play the Rockets here with open arms just because of everything he’s done for this city. He’s made such a big impact on the community that I feel like I hopefully have. I know that he loves it. He has a special place in his heart here for Oklahoma. He loves it, and I know he’s sad to be going. I know Oklahoma people are sad, too.”[/size][/b]


How important was it having Westbrook and Kevin Durant here to look up to?

Young: “It was great for me just knowing them growing up in high school. Being able to talk to guys like KD and Russ. It was a huge impact having them here. It’s sad seeing them go. I know a lot of people here are sad. But they made a huge impact not only on me, but a lot of people in this community.”

The seven-time NBA All-Star finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

“Iso Joe does what he does, that’s why he’s a star, that’s why he has so many accolades and is such an excellent player,” Triplets head coach Lisa Leslie said. “I just thought overall that the guys played with so much heart and fight. I’m just happy to see us being able to clinch this win.”

Nichols: You've come here and said already, "I'm here to win titles." Rob Pelinka told the media, "Anything less than a championship is not a success." Are you guys worried you're setting the bar a little bit too high here?

AD: No. We have a standard, and that is it, you know. Especially for me as a player. If I don't win the championship, then that season was not a success.

Nichols: At your introductory press conference, they introduced you as someone who they hope will be a "pillar of the Lakers for a decade to come."

AD: Yeah.

Nichols: You're only signed through this season. Do you think you will be a pillar of the Lakers for years and years to come?

AD: Honestly, Rachel, I'm just focused on this season. I don't know what's going to happen. I have one year here, so I'm going make the best of this year. And when that time comes around in the summer or, you know, whenever the season's over -- hopefully, around, you know, mid-June, after we just had a parade, and I need a couple days to think -- then we can talk about that. But until then, I'm trying to do whatever I can to help this team win this year.