What if OKC gets the #1 pick?

[wizkid27]

Being a small market team, I doubt you are going to be able to pay all these guys when the bill comes due. Durant is a max player. Griffin would be a max player. Jeff Green will command big money. Looks like Westbrook is going to be a good one. I do not know who your owner is but that is going to start becoming a real financial burden in just a 2-3 years. Even though OK would hold all the Bird rights and be able to go over the cap, would the money be there?

And that is why I'm all about them not spending much in Free Agency! Just want to see them hold onto the guys they have plus their draft picks. No need to throw 10 mil/season at somebody.

[Rome]

And that is why I'm all about them not spending much in Free Agency! Just want to see them hold onto the guys they have plus their draft picks. No need to throw 10 mil/season at somebody.[/quote]


I agree

[TheNewEra]

Being a small market team, I doubt you are going to be able to pay all these guys when the bill comes due. Durant is a max player. Griffin would be a max player. Jeff Green will command big money. Looks like Westbrook is going to be a good one. I do not know who your owner is but that is going to start becoming a real financial burden in just a 2-3 years. Even though OK would hold all the Bird rights and be able to go over the cap, would the money be there?

And that is why I'm all about them not spending much in Free Agency! Just want to see them hold onto the guys they have plus their draft picks. No need to throw 10 mil/season at somebody.

But what that that mean to some degree?

Do you look to trade Green out of eventual fear of being in a money squeeze which tends to make trading harder.

Or do you go onto the other which is keep the talent as you stated and manage with the draft picks (Griffin).

My idea was if the Thunder got Grifiin move Green to the bench because he is much more vaulable to the team depth wise. But if there is to big of a money scare hovering over the team is the only thing to do is trade Green if they get Griffin?

[Big_Mac79]

Here is a thought
What if you run a lineup of

Westbrook/Watson
Green/Weaver
Durant/Thabo
Griffin/White
Kristic/Collison

What teams does this lineup not matchup well against?

[wizkid27]

I think your issues would probably be against a team that has a great scoring 2 guard (whoever/Wade, rondo/allen, parker/ginobili, etc.) I don't think that, at this point, Green or Durant can guard any of those guys. Obviously you're going to have a nice mismatch on the other side, but I don't think it would work in our favor. Especially with a point guard like Westbrook, that isn't a game-managing distributor type with great ball skills... we need a 2 that can bring a little bit of those aspects to the game.

[wiff]

But what that that mean to some degree?

Do you look to trade Green out of eventual fear of being in a money squeeze which tends to make trading harder.

Or do you go onto the other which is keep the talent as you stated and manage with the draft picks (Griffin).

My idea was if the Thunder got Grifiin move Green to the bench because he is much more vaulable to the team depth wise. But if there is to big of a money scare hovering over the team is the only thing to do is trade Green if they get Griffin?

It means if Griffin and Green are both in training camp it's wide open.

I'd probably tell Green it's his job to lose. Then I'd tell Griffin it's his job to earn.

And after a few months if Griffin looks like he is the stud most people think he will be (however I'm not one of those people) then see if Green would be excepting of a 6th man role to see if it would work. Or move him for the young outstanding SG this team needs.

Since Green looks to be a pretty nice player who is young I'm sure Green would net a nice SG

I think Green would be a fantastic 6th man.

Problem is, he could start for a ton of teams in the league. Green seems like a humble guy but I can't fault him for not wanting to be the 6th man.

I'd be curious as to what would Green bring in at the SG spot.

I said in another thread that I would trade Green for Beidrins because he fills a huge hole at one of the toughest spots to fill.

I'm not really sure who would be a SG that I would move Green for? Other than the obvious Kobe and Wade's, but who would be realistically obtainable in a one for one deal or a two for two so the cap works.

Suggestions?

[like2booze]

Hi there, long time reader, 1st post.

Scenario: Kings get the 1st pick, with OKC get the #2

Would a Green & #2 for Garcia & #1 be of any interest?

Why for OKC. Draft Griffin and get a starting 2 who can play both ends of the floor. I realise that Garcia is 28, but he is on a decent contract (5yrs 30Mil), could be good on D (based on his numbers alone as I haven't seen him play much), shoots a good perecentage from 3 (around .400) and will be stuck behind Martin and Nocioni for the foreseeable future on the Kings bench.

Westbrook/Livingston/Weaver
Garcia/Thabo/Weaver
Durant/Thabo
Griffin/White/#25 (DeJuan Blair at a stretch )
Krstic/Collison

Maybe look to swing a combination of Watson/Collison/Wilkins/Atkins for a starting defensive center (Haywood - 1yr 6Mil/Dalembert - 12Mil expiring when Durant needs to be resigned) with a view to addressing the C position long-term next year through the draft (Cole Aldrich anyone??)


Why for Sacramento. Assuming Jason Thompson is the direction they want to go in the future at PF, they drop down a spot in the draft to pick the PG they desperately need in Rubio, and switch a 6th man for a good starter (Green) at the SF. They end up with a good looking starting unit:

Rubio
Martin
Green
Thompson
Hawes

Nocioni as 6th man.

[big L]

Welcome, like2booze.

I think this is a decent trade, although better for Sacramento: they basically walk off with two lottery picks. The key for the Sonics is of course Griffin--do you believe in him? That's a tough one for me, and I'm not sure I gamble by giving up Green.

[wizkid27]

hey like2booze, welcome to forum! at least the posting side of it

Personally, if we end up at #2, I would like to see us just take Rubio or Thabeet. I myself am a fan of Thabeet and not a big fan of Rubio. But those in the Westbrook at 2 with Rubio at the point camp would argue the other way.

The biggest reason I'd want to keep the #2 pick (or 3 and maybe even 4-5), is that we walk away with Green/Durant/Westbrook and a 4th member of the starting lineup that are completely set. If we trade Green and #2 for #1 and Garcia (or a similar player), I feel like we're set at 3 positions (Griffin/Durant/Westbrook) and have an adequate starter at the 2. I don't think the upgrade that Garcia gives over Thabo is enough to justify it.

Just my take though! For those that are huge Griffin fans, I could see how they'd want to do about anything possible to get it done, and that trade is fairly reasonable.

[TheNewEra]

One long shot of way but is definitley possible (espcially after the @$$ whooping you gave my Clippers) work even harder with Livingston and try to work him in as the permanent starter and play Westbrook at the 2.

I know it's still pretty early to try to push Livingston that far ahead but if he comes out strong out of the offseason and gives a nice performance in the preseason it's worth a shot.The team would probably need to sign another PG to back-up Livi but Westbrook could still run some mintues at the 1 spot. Team locks up Thabeet and there is a strong core to build toward the future.

[Big_Mac79]

One long shot of way but is definitley possible (espcially after the @$$ whooping you gave my Clippers) work even harder with Livingston and try to work him in as the permanent starter and play Westbrook at the 2.

I know it's still pretty early to try to push Livingston that far ahead but if he comes out strong out of the offseason and gives a nice performance in the preseason it's worth a shot.The team would probably need to sign another PG to back-up Livi but Westbrook could still run some mintues at the 1 spot. Team locks up Thabeet and there is a strong core to build toward the future.

I talked about this before because I think Weaver could backup the 1
Livvy/Weave
Westbrook/Thabo
Durant/#25 Terrence Williams???
Green/White
Thabeet/Kristic

This also gives the ability to make some moves and trade Collison/Watson/Atkins/Wilkins

[tisbee]

I'm not a GM,I just play one on RealGM but if it were me,w/the First Pick I'd draft Ricky Rubio.
Move Westbrook to the 2. Overpay for Varejao($8mil/yr by 3 yrs?) Find a scoring SG/SF for the second unit-maybe Von Wafer for $3mil.
Kristic,Varejao and Green call all be paired in any combo and should get 30min each.
Rubio,Westbrook,Durant first unit.
Weaver,Livingston,scoring SG/SF as second unit.
I know this leaves Thabo odd man out,but he might make nice trade bait.
And in a yr or so you might get Ibaka coming over.

[Krapinsky]

I think you draft Griffin and trade Green for the best player you can get.

You might be able to trade him for Thabeet or Harden straight up.

My team, Wolves, could offer you 2 of the 3 - Foye, Gomes, or #18 - for Green. Or if we took Thabeet, we could offer Pekovic (a very solid center prospect) as part of a deal. Others might be willing to give our pick, #5, for Green. The point is, you guys would have tons of options, but Griffin/Westbrook/Durant is too good to pass up.

[wizkid27]

Green is a #5 pick that has worked out exceptionally well. So I would want to get at least a #5 pick type talent in return... The idea of trading him for Thabeet is an interesting one, but I would like to see him on our team next year, whatever the situation is.

[jax98]

Bulls fan here.

The way I see it, much like everyone else, is you have to take Griffin in this case. It's much harder to find a legitimate big man with good ball skills than finding a two-guard. Considering Durant is such an offensive weapon, you don't need a two-guard who scores in the 20's. You just need a zone-breaker who can compliment the offense and knock down open shots while playing solid defense.

Jeff Green will 100%, absolutely be enough to acquire such a player.. and more!

Say you go the Draft route;

#1 - Draft Blake Griffin

#25 - Draft Wayne Ellington

Trade Jeff Green to the team that has the draft rights to B.J Mullens plus a top 5 protected 1st rounder in 2010;

C B.J Mullens/Nenad Krstic
F Blake Griffin/D.J White
F Kevin Durant/Thabo Sefolosha
G Wayne Ellington/Kyle Weaver
G Russell Westbrook/Shaun Livingston

Young, athletic, good offensively and with plenty of future possibilities.

[wizkid27]

Mullens has some decent potential I guess, but definitely isn't anywhere near talented enough at this point to start over Krstic. Long-term I guess maybe he could be a starter... Just right now I'd rather keep things more simple. If Mullens is the "prize" that we get back for Green, I think I'd even rather keep Green as a really good bench player (assuming Griffin eventually starts), even if it means he leaves OKC when his contract is up.

[jax98]

Mullens has some decent potential I guess, but definitely isn't anywhere near talented enough at this point to start over Krstic. Long-term I guess maybe he could be a starter... Just right now I'd rather keep things more simple. If Mullens is the "prize" that we get back for Green, I think I'd even rather keep Green as a really good bench player (assuming Griffin eventually starts), even if it means he leaves OKC when his contract is up.

I definitely can't fault you for having that opinion. Green is a terrific player and could turn everything up another notch next season, thus giving him more trade value. His value as it is, is also greater than Mullens alone. I guess you could find better better centers out there for him.

[Big_Mac79]

Here is an idea I thought of if we landed the #1 overall
OKC trades: Durant/Westbrook/Kristic/#25
ORL trades: Dwight/Lee/Alston

OKC
Alston/Livingston
Lee/Weaver
Green/Thabo
Griffin/White
Dwight/Collison

ORL
Jameer/Johnson
Westbrook/JJ
Durant/Pietrus
Lewis
Kristic/Battie

Nobody commented on it so I wanted to bring it up again and see if anyone thinks is possible
or a deal involving everyone else but Durant
Something like Westbrook/Green/Kristic/#4 for Dwight and Battie

[wiff]

The idea is fine value wise but I just don't see Orlando trading D Howard for a SF when they already have Lewis and Hedo.

[Clangus]

Here is an idea I thought of if we landed the #1 overall
OKC trades: Durant/Westbrook/Kristic/#25
ORL trades: Dwight/Lee/Alston

OKC
Alston/Livingston
Lee/Weaver
Green/Thabo
Griffin/White
Dwight/Collison

ORL
Jameer/Johnson
Westbrook/JJ
Durant/Pietrus
Lewis
Kristic/Battie

Nobody commented on it so I wanted to bring it up again and see if anyone thinks is possible
or a deal involving everyone else but Durant
Something like Westbrook/Green/Kristic/#4 for Dwight and Battie

I cant see us or Orlando wanting to trade Dwight or KD. The only time a superstar gets traded is when they are unhappy. IBoth these guys are happy.

Green Has tremendous value. He is a second year player who really really improved. He developed 3pt range, and has started improving his rebounding. He really is a too good to trade type guy unless you are getting a Bosh, Jefferson or something amazing in return. If we got Griffin, there is nothing to say he even starts for the first few years. We'll have time to decide which player we keep in the future.