The missing pieces

[Drehova]

I think 2 key pieces of the puzzle are playing for the Wizards Haywood & Miller .
I'd like to see Presti try to sign both of these guys next year.

Haywood gives us the Defensive anchor we've been missing and a great rebounder.
Miller is the shooter we desperatley need he's also a underrated playmaker and defender and both are still young enough to build with our core.

[slick_watts]

I'm with you on Haywood, depending on how much it'll cost to resign him, but where would Mike Miller play on this team? Our SF and SG minutes are dominated by Durant, Green, Thabo, and Harden. Doesn't seem to me like there's any room for another player there. We'd have to drop a player from the rotation.

[Balkman32]

There is defentally 2 peices missing to the puzzle. I just think thoes peices will replace Kristic and Collison. I think the backcourt is the strength of this team. It will be interesting what/ if the Thunder do anything. Haywood would be a nice piece but then again it is @ what cost. We have no idea how he would fit. Are you going 2 throw 20 million @ him for 4 or 5 years?

The real question is will the Thunder make a move to get a guy in the next 2 weeks. If so what is the cost going to be? They have assets. Harpring and Thomas expiring deals, Kristic and Collison (are very cabeable players to add to a rotation), and 2 first rounds pick's this season and 1 next season. I belive ( slick will dissagree) that the Thunder need to make a move now. They need to bring a guy who is expiring and see how he comes here and meshes with the team. This team is young and close (as friends and to a long run in the playoffs) if they can add a key big man. Watch out!

New Player/ ( Kristic/ Collison/ Thomas/ free agent if all leave)
Green/ Ibaka
Durant
Seflosha/ Harden
Westbrook/ Maynor

[Jimmy76]

I think Presti will look for a core big piece in this next draft

I guess anything could happen though

[slick_watts]

Sign David Lee, trade Jeff Green + 2 first round picks + DJ White / Kyle Weaver for a center.

[Clangus]

again with David Lee/?

1. If we wanted him we could have had him last off season.
2. He is a **** defender. I know that Krystic is also terrible, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't aim higher in that area.
2. The Knicks are not just going to let him walk. Why would they? He is probably the only decent piece they currently have.

I dont thnk we can stand pat, because all the assest have an expiry on them, pretty son we;ll be stuck like pritchard and have to try and make a move just to get use out of the assets.

I would like Haywood personally. We have 1 guy who is going to put up 30 a game, 2 capcble of hitting 20 (Harden might also be in that after some more experiemce) We really don't need another guy asking for shots. Lee isn't going to like going from 1-2 option to 2-3-4th option.

[slick_watts]

Clangus.. here's my argument for David Lee as our power forward. You can feel free to disagree but I think it addresses all your points..

We couldn't sign David Lee last offseason. He was a restricted free agent, so we would be getting into a bidding war with the Knicks who probably would have matched anything that wasn't outlandish, their pursuit of 2010 cap space notwithstanding. With Lee accepting the qualifying offer, he becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason, making it easier for other teams to go after him, including the Thunder. The fact that we did not pursue him last offseason isn't pertinent, in my opinion.

David Lee wouldn't be any worse as a defender at the power forward position than Jeff Green currently is. In fact, he might be better. He's bigger and longer than Jeff Green, and is one of the top defensive rebounding players in the league at any position. Lee plays out of position at center for the Knicks, many of his problems defensively might stem from that. Our coach has shown the ability to get players to buy into a defensive system, and with our star player leading the charge I don't think a player such as Lee would have any trouble as long as he's playing in position (power forward). He certainly doesn't have any physical abnormalities that would prevent him from being at least average.

Unless they unload Jared Jeffries or Eddy Curry before the trade deadline for expirings (a tall order), the Knicks probably will not be able to sign a maximum free agent player and David Lee without doing some cap acrobatics. There will be competition for David Lee's services, no doubt, but only from four or five teams with some other, bigger names on their list(s) (Wade, Amar'e, Bosh, LeBron, Joe Johnson, Boozer, etc.)

My argument for David Lee is that he would go a very long way toward correcting many of problems. He's a high percentage scorer, and we're a low percentage shooting team. He's one of the top defensive rebounders in the NBA, we're in the bottom third or bottom five depending on how you measure. He's an excellent passer for an NBA big man, most of our bigs are ball stoppers who sometimes struggle making the extra pass. The concerns about his defense are valid, but I don't think they outweigh the potential benefits everywhere else on the court. Especially if he's paired with a center that can defend and block shots.

Don't get me wrong, if there is a bidding war for Lee's services, I would not overpay him. But I'd go for up to $10 million average for his services. I think his defensive struggles are overblown and a product of the systems he's played in, the teammates he's played with, and the fact that he's mostly playing out of position these days. Check our Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis as prime examples of how no-defense matadors can change situations and become adequate, even good, defenders in the right system with the right players.

End Speech.

[Clangus]

I'm not sold. But at 8-9 Mill i could be won over. lOL
I just don't see NY getting a big name F/A without Lee being there. Why would they go?

[Balkman32]

I dont see the Thunder trading Jeff Green. If Durant goes down he can fill thoes shoes. If Green is gone and Durant goes down the Thunder are in BIG trouble.

[theokie]

If Durant goes down it doesnt matter if Green is or isnt there, we'd be in huge **** trouble.

[Jimmy76]

I like the idea of signing Lee I just doubt that we'll be able to land him

also id like to use green to move up in this draft its absolutely loaded with quality bigs

[Durantist]

All I know is that the Thunder better find a way to get or develop these "2 pieces" before 2012 hits, because as of right now the Thunder look like a 1st round exit team. Just like the hawks n blazers seasons ago. 2012 is going to be another Lebron James bonanza for Durant. Boston, Lakers, and even the Knicks will be licking their chops for this kid!!!!! OKC must build a contender soon.
-2012 people, 2012

[wizkid27]

So are you saying that Durant would want to be out of OKC enough to take the ~$7 million qualifying offer to become an unrestricted FA in 2012? As of now, I would assume that the Thunder will offer him everything they can when he comes up for an extension and that he'll sign.

If you're thinking he'd do the equivalent of what Lebron did, it would be ~2016 that you're looking for. Lebron signed a 5 year (I believe it was 5, might be wrong) extension with the Cavs after his rookie contract. And now he's finally hitting the open market...

[slick_watts]

Who knows what contract parameters will be like by then, anyway with the new CBA..

[aniloman]

The missing pieces for you guys sit on the sidelines of the Magic getting little to no PT. Bass and Gortat would provide everything you guys are missing. They both are signed to long term deals on the cheap. The expirings of Harpring, Thomas, and giving them a big like Ibaka would entice them to part with those 2. I know Gortat is in BYC status, and I can't get a trade to work in the Trade Checker but I really believe if OKC could get a deal done with the Magic then the league should watch out! Maybe a 3-way could work?
Why would the Magic do this deal? They know that Gortat and Bass will start making waves in the offseason due to lack of PT which would drive their trade value down. So to avoid that and shake the team up just a little, they trade away two unhappy players and get expiring contracts and possibly a 1st rd pick from the Thunder. Also KT could provide some toughness for the playoffs. He would be the only player that would see time after this trade.

Any suggestions on this deal or an expanded deal were OKC can get these players?

[aniloman]

I think I found the trade that would work:

OKC
INCOMING
Gortat
Bass
Posey
OUTGOING
Harpring
Thomas
1st/2nd rd picks

ORL
OUTGOING
Gortat
Bass

INCOMING
Thomas
1st(OKC)
2picks/2nd(OKC,NO)

NO
OUTGOING
Posey
2nd rd pick
INCOMING
Harpring

[slick_watts]

First off, I love Brandon Bass. He's signed to a dirt cheap contract and he's always productive, he could be a starting PF for us easily - he's a lot more efficient offensively than Jeff Green and much cheaper. It's for these reasons I can't imagine Orlando giving up on him.

Marcin Gortat I worry about. He's been bad this year. Some of that might be because he's upset over lack of minutes, who knows. But he's got a long term contract ad I don't know if I'd be comfortable taking on that salary for someone who has not been productive on the court.

There are some scenarios where I think Presti might consider taking on dead weight contracts such as Posey. This scenario isn't one of them.

I do like Bass, though, and would definitely go after him. I just don't see it happening.

[aniloman]

I see your point with taking on Posey but as of now that was the only way I can see OKC getting both Gortat and Bass. I saw a game that Gortat played in recently where he got a good chunk of burn and was really successful out there on the court. I think your reference to Gortat being unhappy has a lot to do with some of his focus on the court. Posey's contract runs for one more season so the impact of taking on his dead weight contract would only be for a year. Besides Posey is still productive and come playoff time I think he would be worth his contract in gold.

I am not a Hornet fan by the way!!! I just think this trade deadline will have a large impact on alot of teams including the Thunder. When we look back in a couple of years this trade deadline will be looked at as a turning point for alot of franchises, whether good or bad.

[OzThunder]

i think we can aim higher than gortat for our centre. Bass would be a nice fit, but just kind of take minutes away from Ibaka. I suppose it just depends what kind of player you think Ibaka will become. But at the centre spot i'd only think gortat and krstic would be splitting minutes, where i think we should be looking for more of a 'starting minutes' player, which we should be able to get with the money/ moveable talent we have.

[Drehova]

I'm with you on Haywood, depending on how much it'll cost to resign him, but where would Mike Miller play on this team? Our SF and SG minutes are dominated by Durant, Green, Thabo, and Harden. Doesn't seem to me like there's any room for another player there. We'd have to drop a player from the rotation.

We need a shooter bad ... M. Miller feels that role whether coming off the bench our starting . I like Thabo , I love his defense and his contract just don't think he should be starting . I'd rather have Miller or Harden starting next to KD.

Thabo needs to come of the bench and be a energy / defensive stopper. IMO he's only playing 30 minutes a gm now because we don't have a better option at the 2. With M. Miller we would have that .