Who's the Thunder's Owner?

DubaLakers · Post #1 » by **DubaLakers** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:39 pm

Is he a deep pocket guy? If so you guys are set, best young talent in the league.

Chicago was in the same spot as you nearly 5 years ago, now they sold the farm and started over, but you guys have more talent than they even had.

Good luck, a refreshing squad, Westbrook & Durant are heady pros, no cockyness and punk attitudes, just ballers, same goes for your other players, appears to be a perfect group of guys from the outside looking in. I want Westbrook to be in the purple and gold, I'll trade Bynum for him.

Sincerely,

Jerry Buss

Clangus · Post #2 » by **Clangus** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:21 am

LOL nice one. Its touhg to say if the ownership group is deep pocketed - they certainly have $$ ubt if they'll spend...we still don't know
I guess this offseason will surely tell.

dream_catcher_9 · Post #3 » by **dream_catcher_9** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:55 am

They don't spend just to spend but I think if the right move comes along they aren't afraid to open up the wallet. For ex:

We paid cash for a 2nd rounder(Robert Vaden) to stash overseas...
We traded for Chandler who was going to make over 11 million this season...

wiff · Post #4 » by **wiff** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:13 pm

Chandler never got traded. The owners have shown no signs of having deep pockets besides paying the relocation fee.

Balkman32 · Post #5 » by **Balkman32** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:28 pm

Clay Bennett chairman of the Professional Basketball Club LLC. The LLC is the owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

dream_catcher_9 · Post #6 » by **dream_catcher_9** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:13 pm

wiff wrote:Chandler never got traded. The owners have shown no signs of having deep pockets besides paying the relocation fee.

yeah but he would have if not for a busted toe.

DubaLakers · Post #7 » by **DubaLakers** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:14 pm

Thanks guys, other than us

you really are the coolest squad in the league. I love the workman atitude your guys have, no punks (DEN, BOS, CLE) allowed policy it appears.

wiff · Post #8 » by **wiff** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:20 am

dream_catcher_9 wrote:
wiff wrote:Chandler never got traded. The owners have shown no signs of having deep pockets besides paying the relocation fee.

yeah but he would have if not for a busted toe.

There was speculation at the time that the Thunder got cold feet becauseof his contract and used his toe as a reason to back out.

Post #9 » by **slick_watts** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:34 am

I think, wiff, that in light of Chandler's foot injuries since the rescinded trade, you have to give Presti and the doctors the benefit of the doubt.

wiff · Post #10 » by **wiff** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:33 am

Sure but they still didn't break out the check book for him.

Until they open up the pocket book for real and not in principal you can't say they are big spenders.

Post #11 » by **slick_watts** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 2:57 pm

They will definitely have their opportunity to spend money this offseason.

Rah Fentons · Post #12 » by **Rah Fentons** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:37 pm

Balkman32 wrote:Clay Bennett chairman of the Professional Basketball Club LLC. The LLC is the owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Actually, there are six owners who each own approximately 17% each.

I don't think its an issue of deep pockets .........at this moment. I expect them to be cautious with their spending until the new CBA becomes clearer. As a lot of other teams will do so also.

I also think they probably would want to get a better picture of how much revenue the team can generate in OKC. Especially with the renovations currently in progress at the Ford, which have reduced capacity and added terrace seating. And to get a better handle on attendance.

Rah Fentons · Post #13 » by **Rah Fentons** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:38 pm

slick_watts wrote:I think, wiff, that in light of Chandler's foot injuries since the rescinded trade, you have to give Presti and the doctors the benefit of the doubt.

No chit Sherlock.

Chandler is headed to see NYC doctors about that foot, as I type this.

What is it gonna take to put that issue away ?

Rah Fentons · Post #14 » by **Rah Fentons** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:40 pm

slick_watts wrote:They will definitely have their opportunity to spend money this offseason.

On who ?

Other than Chris Bosh, who else is out there that really fills a team need ? And fits the personality profile that Presti is looking for ?

I don't expect them to be active this off season other than resigning Durant and Green.

Post #15 » by **slick_watts** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:52 pm

Rah Fentons wrote:
slick_watts wrote:They will definitely have their opportunity to spend money this offseason.

On who ?

Other than Chris Bosh, who else is out there that really fills a team need ? And fits the personality profile that Presti is looking for ?

I don't expect them to be active this off season other than resigning Durant and Green.

Either in free agency or trade there will be plenty of opportunity to use the ~$12 million in cap space. To not use it, and enter the season with a payroll of $41 million, would be a very strong signal that the ownership is reluctant to spend.

You don't use cap space to sign your own free agents, that's what Bird Rights are for. You use cap space to upgrade the team either by signing a free agent or facilitating a trade.

dream_catcher_9 · Post #16 » by **dream_catcher_9** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:08 pm

slick_watts wrote:
Rah Fentons wrote:
slick_watts wrote:They will definitely have their opportunity to spend money this offseason.

On who ?

Other than Chris Bosh, who else is out there that really fills a team need ? And fits the personality profile that Presti is looking for ?

I don't expect them to be active this off season other than resigning Durant and Green.

Either in free agency or trade there will be plenty of opportunity to use the ~$12 million in cap space. To not use it, and enter the season with a payroll of $41 million, would be a very strong signal that the ownership is reluctant to spend.

You don't use cap space to sign your own free agents, that's what Bird Rights are for. You use cap space to upgrade the team either by signing a free agent or facilitating a trade.

you have to be careful though with the new CBA looming. Id hate to spend a lot on a mid level player, then the new CBA comes out and he now gets paid like a star.

Rah Fentons · Post #17 » by **Rah Fentons** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 5:49 pm

slick_watts wrote:
Rah Fentons wrote:
slick_watts wrote:They will definitely have their opportunity to spend money this offseason.

On who ?

Other than Chris Bosh, who else is out there that really fills a team need ? And fits the personality profile that Presti is looking for ?

I don't expect them to be active this off season other than resigning Durant and Green.

Either in free agency or trade there will be plenty of opportunity to use the ~$12 million in cap space. To not use it, and enter the season with a payroll of $41 million, would be a very strong signal that the ownership is reluctant to spend.

You don't use cap space to sign your own free agents, that's what Bird Rights are for. You use cap space to upgrade the team either by signing a free agent or facilitating a trade.

No, they will need their cap space to sign Durant , Green, then the next year to sign Westbrook, then Harden, then Ibaka .................. etc etc etc.

Post #18 » by **slick_watts** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 6:08 pm

Again, you don't use cap space to sign your own free agents, you can go over the cap to do that. Take a look at Larry Coon's collective bargaining agreement FAQ located here: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm .. this myth perpetuated by the OKC media and the relatively new OKC fanbase that the team must save its cap space for extensions is completely false. OKC can be over the cap and sign their rookies to extensions. You don't use that as justification to not spend money on improving the team, or the team will never contend.

Post #19 » by **wizkid27** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 6:32 pm

slick_watts wrote:Again, you don't use cap space to sign your own free agents, you can go over the cap to do that. Take a look at Larry Coon's collective bargaining agreement FAQ located here: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm .. this myth perpetuated by the OKC media and the relatively new OKC fanbase that the team must save its cap space for extensions is completely false. OKC can be over the cap and sign their rookies to extensions. You don't use that as justification to not spend money on improving the team, or the team will never contend.

I don't know that it is so much a myth that is being perpetuated. I think it's more that OKC isn't going to be able to afford a 70 mil payroll. Knowing that, we have to avoid the temptation to splurge on a big free agent (or taking on a big contract) in order to be able to AFFORD to resign our guys. Not to do so within the rules, but just to realistically be able to give our young players that are on rookie contracts their extensions/new contracts. It's hard to project how much it will actually cost, due to the potentially big changes that the new CBA would bring.

Post #20 » by **slick_watts** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 6:42 pm

There are many creative ways to use $$$ in the NBA..

I'm not saying OKC can afford to dole out six years and $120 million to Chris Bosh. But some moderate spending, primarily to acquire a center, is definitely within the budget and likely wouldn't affect much down the road.

As long as you're spending the $$$ on a good player and not wasting money you can't lose.. things become a little murky four years down the road when Harden is due an extension, but by then almost any acquisition we make now will be nearly expired. I've tinkered with the salaries a lot, there's room for $10 million a year or less, especially if it's frontloaded, and even more especially if Green isn't signed to something dumb.

There's a lot of stuff writtern on NewsOK for example that says the Thunder can't afford to spend at all because they need to extend their players..