2017 OKC Thunder Trade Discussion

[Osirus89]

(Sigh)
Dammit.. we finally have a good back-court mate for Russ and we might just move on from him....
If they traded Dipo that return better be damned good and I don't think Porter would be anywhere near making that worth it. Porter is a good 3-D prospect but idk. You should add a player like that to the core of Adams Russ and Victor, not swap Victor for a player like that.

We have seen this season what happens when Victor missed all that time and the guard rotation was pretty bad. I like Abrines, but if they move forward with him as a starter, he will foul out of games by halftime guarding Klay thompson, Harden, etc. He works extremely well as a shooter off the bench, but he cant hold up against NBA starting caliber shooting guards for long stretches.

A trade involving Victor is going to be hard to do value wise. If you trade him for picks and young players, you will probably be taking a step back. Trading him and picks for George or Butler is not equal value for Bulls/Indiana. Swapping him for a player like KCP or Porter doesn't move the needle forward for the team. It would be shuffling chairs around. They will probably survey the market, but they might not like the return if the goal is to keep the team around Russ as competitive as possible. Now if they would be doing this and moving Kanter to clear cap space to bring in a max free agent.... that changes things, but they would need assurances before they went off the deep end like that.

[spearsy23]

I don't see any way we get better by trading Dipo. Porter is worse than Dipo.

I don't see any way possible to believe vic is better, and even if I did, Porter is definitely the better fit next to Russ. It may not be a championship formula, but a Russ/Abrines/Porter/stretch 4/Steven team playing like the Rockets would be hella fun to watch. Have Dre, Doug, Sabonis, Enes and a good backup pg off the bench and we could score a million points per game. Also give up a million, but it would be entertaining.

Abrines is nowhere close to matching DIpo's impact.

Of course not, because he's nowhere near the player vic is on defense. But offensively he's already better and it's his rookie season.

And the Otto Porter bandwaggon is close to derailing. There's a reason why Wizards fans are slowly turning on him. His ceiling is being an efficient 3&D guy. He'll never be a scorer.

So his ceiling is an efficient Oladipo. People still holding out belief that vic is going to ever be a second option are kidding themselves.

We can't take another scoring option away from Russ and go 'Well, this will surely work'.

Vic isn't even a better scoring option than porter. He scores 2.5 more points on 4 more shots. If you mean playmaker then sure vic is 'better', but he never actually shows it on the court.

This team's calling card is defense. It has to be. Dipo is a big time contributor to that. And he's also the only guy who can create off the dribble next to Russ.

This team's calling card is inconsistency and Westbrook. We're not actually good on either end and have no identity. I'm fine picking either one. All offense can work, D'Antoni has proven that time and again. Maybe we won't win a ring, but I'd rather be in the third seed than the sixth. Also, I'd love to see what critics come up with when Russ is averaging 13 assists per game.

EDIT: Don't get me wrong: I would love Porter on this team. But next to Dipo, not instead of us. That would only make us worse.

It's irrelevant, because Washington wouldn't make that trade anyway. But I don't understand how we've watched this team all year and anyone thinks Oladipo or Adams are difference makers. Give me an elite three point shooter that isn't a negative defensively over vic's 2.5 assists per game any day.

[bondom34]

I think Vic is a big difference maker, we saw this team without him and it's a mess. It hurts to say, but I feel less sure about Steven, even though I love the guy and think he's an incredibly hard worker. I almost wish we'd find out he's been hurt, but don't think so.

[ThunderBolt]

I think Vic is a big difference maker, we saw this team without him and it's a mess. It hurts to say, but I feel less sure about Steven, even though I love the guy and think he's an incredibly hard worker. I almost wish we'd find out he's been hurt, but don't think so.

They have looked like a mess plenty of times with him too. That's the problem with this team. At some point we have to have a second scoring option. Vic isn't a bad player but I don't see any reason to believe he'll be any different next year. He isn't really trending upward. He's a 15-17ppg guy who scores in bunches but hasn't had to really good offensive halves this year.

[spearsy23]

I think Vic is a big difference maker, we saw this team without him and it's a mess. It hurts to say, but I feel less sure about Steven, even though I love the guy and think he's an incredibly hard worker. I almost wish we'd find out he's been hurt, but don't think so.

They have looked like a mess plenty of times with him too. That's the problem with this team. At some point we have to have a second scoring option. Vic isn't a bad player but I don't see any reason to believe he'll be any different next year. He isn't really trending upward. He's a 15-17ppg guy who scores in bunches but hasn't had to really good offensive halves this year.

He hasn't scored 30 in a game this year. If we're relying on him as a 2nd option then we're screwed.

[ThunderBolt]

I think Vic is a big difference maker, we saw this team without him and it's a mess. It hurts to say, but I feel less sure about Steven, even though I love the guy and think he's an incredibly hard worker. I almost wish we'd find out he's been hurt, but don't think so.

They have looked like a mess plenty of times with him too. That's the problem with this team. At some point we have to have a second scoring option. Vic isn't a bad player but I don't see any reason to believe he'll be any different next year. He isn't really trending upward. He's a 15-17ppg guy who scores in bunches but hasn't had to really good offensive halves this year.

He hasn't scored 30 in a game this year. If we're relying on him as a 2nd option then we're screwed.

I would rather keep Vic as a third option and try to get a small forward or better shooting guard. Porter is a good three point shooter. I think we could start over at center. Get rid of Kanter and Adams. Maybe we can draft a big man. Sabonis can play the 5 at times. Then pick up an old dude like Tyson chandler for a year.

[spearsy23]

They have looked like a mess plenty of times with him too. That's the problem with this team. At some point we have to have a second scoring option. Vic isn't a bad player but I don't see any reason to believe he'll be any different next year. He isn't really trending upward. He's a 15-17ppg guy who scores in bunches but hasn't had to really good offensive halves this year.

He hasn't scored 30 in a game this year. If we're relying on him as a 2nd option then we're screwed.

I would rather keep Vic as a third option and try to get a small forward or better shooting guard. Porter is a good three point shooter. I think we could start over at center. Get rid of Kanter and Adams. Maybe we can draft a big man. Sabonis can play the 5 at times. Then pick up an old dude like Tyson chandler for a year.

I'd be fine with moving any of the three and possibly even moving all of them. I really don't care what direction we go, it would just be nice to have a direction. If we want to build a defensive team then we can probably keep Steven and vic both, but we have to make a real commitment to that end which means no more enes or Mcdermott. Semaj and grant have to go no matter what.

We're a horrible offensive team as is and yet we are only above average defensively, if we're going to ignore offense then at least do it all the way.

[bondom34]

Yeah I just think there are possibly other 2nd "scoring" options who aren't necessarily able to do what Vic can elsewhere.

[ThunderBolt]

Yeah I just think there are possibly other 2nd "scoring" options who aren't necessarily able to do what Vic can elsewhere.

Vic puts forth effort on the defensive end but I don't think he's a lockdown guy. Maybe playing next to Russ he looks like one but I don't think his defense is so good that it cancels out him disappearing offensively. Especially if Andre is out there shooting threes off the side of the backboard.

[Osirus89]

Yeah I just think there are possibly other 2nd "scoring" options who aren't necessarily able to do what Vic can elsewhere.

Vic puts forth effort on the defensive end but I don't think he's a lockdown guy. Maybe playing next to Russ he looks like one but I don't think his defense is so good that it cancels out him disappearing offensively. Especially if Andre is out there shooting threes off the side of the backboard.

That sounds like a third scoring option player being forced to be a second option. If we brought someone in who was a consistent scorer, Victor would look just fine. Heck... see what Melo is up to this offseason.

Also Porter is less of a second option than Dipo. We should set our sights higher in regards to the No. 2 guy.

[ThunderBolt]

Yeah I just think there are possibly other 2nd "scoring" options who aren't necessarily able to do what Vic can elsewhere.

Vic puts forth effort on the defensive end but I don't think he's a lockdown guy. Maybe playing next to Russ he looks like one but I don't think his defense is so good that it cancels out him disappearing offensively. Especially if Andre is out there shooting threes off the side of the backboard.

That sounds like a third scoring option player being forced to be a second option. If we brought someone in who was a consistent scorer, Victor would look just fine. Heck... see what Melo is up to this offseason.

Also Porter is less of a second option than Dipo. We should set our sights higher in regards to the No. 2 guy.

We don't really have the assets to set our sights higher.

[spearsy23]

Yeah I just think there are possibly other 2nd "scoring" options who aren't necessarily able to do what Vic can elsewhere.

Well yeah, they can't defend as well. But there are second scoring options who can't do the things Steven does, and that doesn't make him an acceptable second option.

[Osirus89]

Vic puts forth effort on the defensive end but I don't think he's a lockdown guy. Maybe playing next to Russ he looks like one but I don't think his defense is so good that it cancels out him disappearing offensively. Especially if Andre is out there shooting threes off the side of the backboard.

That sounds like a third scoring option player being forced to be a second option. If we brought someone in who was a consistent scorer, Victor would look just fine. Heck... see what Melo is up to this offseason.

Also Porter is less of a second option than Dipo. We should set our sights higher in regards to the No. 2 guy.

We don't really have the assets to set our sights higher.

Maybe. If we do something on draft day, we will have more to work with. If we are trading Victor away though we need to look for more than Otto porter when there is a reason they aren't sure if they want to pay him. If he was all that good, there wouldn't even be a question. They finished the game today with oubre and bogdanovich to close out the game, and his minutes has been shrinking recently. If we go for someone, it should probably be like a Gallo type. Heck Rudy Gay would have been a way better no. 2 than the KCP/Porters of the world, but oh well on that.

[bondom34]

Also of note, cap projection went down again, so a max guy wouldn't have worked either way.

[spearsy23]

That sounds like a third scoring option player being forced to be a second option. If we brought someone in who was a consistent scorer, Victor would look just fine. Heck... see what Melo is up to this offseason.

Also Porter is less of a second option than Dipo. We should set our sights higher in regards to the No. 2 guy.

We don't really have the assets to set our sights higher.

Maybe. If we do something on draft day, we will have more to work with. If we are trading Victor away though we need to look for more than Otto porter when there is a reason they aren't sure if they want to pay him. If he was all that good, there wouldn't even be a question. They finished the game today with oubre and bogdanovich to close out the game, and his minutes has been shrinking recently. If we go for someone, it should probably be like a Gallo type. Heck Rudy Gay would have been a way better no. 2 than the KCP/Porters of the world, but oh well on that.

If you go get a guy like porter it is because you're looking to build a team that doesn't need a true number two in order to succeed. Instead you surround Russ with positive offense players at every position (except center probably) and let him create while they thrive off the space and help open lanes for him. Then you look for a good backup playmaker to take the 14 minutes while Russ is on the bench.

[bondom34]

We don't really have the assets to set our sights higher.

Maybe. If we do something on draft day, we will have more to work with. If we are trading Victor away though we need to look for more than Otto porter when there is a reason they aren't sure if they want to pay him. If he was all that good, there wouldn't even be a question. They finished the game today with oubre and bogdanovich to close out the game, and his minutes has been shrinking recently. If we go for someone, it should probably be like a Gallo type. Heck Rudy Gay would have been a way better no. 2 than the KCP/Porters of the world, but oh well on that.

If you go get a guy like porter it is because you're looking to build a team that doesn't need a true number two in order to succeed. Instead you surround Russ with positive offense players at every position (except center probably) and let him create while they thrive off the space and help open lanes for him. Then you look for a good backup playmaker to take the 14 minutes while Russ is on the bench.

Crazy thought, but would anyone take Derrick Rose for the MLE? I'd debate it I think.

[spearsy23]

Maybe. If we do something on draft day, we will have more to work with. If we are trading Victor away though we need to look for more than Otto porter when there is a reason they aren't sure if they want to pay him. If he was all that good, there wouldn't even be a question. They finished the game today with oubre and bogdanovich to close out the game, and his minutes has been shrinking recently. If we go for someone, it should probably be like a Gallo type. Heck Rudy Gay would have been a way better no. 2 than the KCP/Porters of the world, but oh well on that.

If you go get a guy like porter it is because you're looking to build a team that doesn't need a true number two in order to succeed. Instead you surround Russ with positive offense players at every position (except center probably) and let him create while they thrive off the space and help open lanes for him. Then you look for a good backup playmaker to take the 14 minutes while Russ is on the bench.

Crazy thought, but would anyone take Derrick Rose for the MLE? I'd debate it I think.

If he came without the headache then absolutely, but I don't think his ego would let him accept a 20 mpg role especially behind Russ. Also, you're going to deal with fans that Are just as irrational as Lin's.

[spearsy23]

One problem with having a guy as important as Russ is that you need a high level backup for when he sits, but high level backups aren't going to sign on to play 15 minutes per night. We need a backup 2 that can play the 1 for 15 minutes but also play beside Russ for 5-10 per night.

[spearsy23]

Does Tyreke get more than MLE coming off of two injury played seasons?

[retrobro90]

One problem with having a guy as important as Russ is that you need a high level backup for when he sits, but high level backups aren't going to sign on to play 15 minutes per night. We need a backup 2 that can play the 1 for 15 minutes but also play beside Russ for 5-10 per night.

Ding ding ding. Whoever our backup PG is needs to be a guy that can play defense. It's why semaj is currently getting playing time over Norris. It's why DJ Augustine was terrible for us but great on teams where he can dominate the ball.

Right now I really like Delon Wright and Cory Joseph. Feel like toronto would part with at least one considering both have trade value and they're presumably going to retain Lowry. Darren Collison would be great too but I highly doubt we'll have the room in FA. I'm sure Russ would like having an old UCLA teammate though.