What happens if George leaves this year?

[ThunderBolt]

Doing the right thing doesn’t always produce the ideal results.

this is a whole 'nother convo about the thunder philosophy we could probably waste 20 pages of thread on.

i never had a problem with the george trade. i still don't. but as the season has developed, a natural question to ask is "was it worth it?". the optics of hindsight are necessary to answer this, and even if the fans and bloggers did not anticipate oladipo or sabonis exploding--

i believe it should have been incumbent on the organization to do so to some degree.

Regardless, we all follow this team for one reason or another, we are all fans, and we all have a unique perspective on this franchise.

amen.

Oladipo had made his physical transformation before we left. I guess the FO wasn’t convinced that was the difference.

[ThunderBolt]

Then we ride out Russell's contract, make the playoffs as the 7th/8th seed for a few years (if we can do it with his 2017 team we can do it with just about any ensemble of players), then let him retire an OKC legend, allowing the legacy of this franchise to be something other than the team that had and lost three MVPs. We'll go down as the franchise that lost two, which is...bad...but at least the franchise will have some kind of lasting legacy from a player.

It delays the rebuild by a few years, but in the process allows this very young franchise to build some kind of history, and it makes sure the fans get truly attached, over a long period of time, to a team that wins a lot of games and has many playoff appearances, so that when the team is bad again, the fans are too hooked to the team to completely walk away.

My god that’s depressing but probably right.

[Pillendreher]

Then we ride out Russell's contract, make the playoffs as the 7th/8th seed for a few years (if we can do it with his 2017 team we can do it with just about any ensemble of players), then let him retire an OKC legend, allowing the legacy of this franchise to be something other than the team that had and lost three MVPs. We'll go down as the franchise that lost two, which is...bad...but at least the franchise will have some kind of lasting legacy from a player.

It delays the rebuild by a few years, but in the process allows this very young franchise to build some kind of history, and it makes sure the fans get truly attached, over a long period of time, to a team that wins a lot of games and has many playoff appearances, so that when the team is bad again, the fans are too hooked to the team to completely walk away.

My god that’s depressing but probably right.

But hey, at least the best duo in the league had the appropriate amount of help in 2016, right? A College Coach who should have stayed in College, a clown who's unaplayable when it matters the most, a scrub who should not have seen a single minute with this team and a wing who was known for yelling and-1 after missing badly on a layup.

[NetsWorld]

If PG13 leaves, so be it, you hope Melo opts out and goes to a contender or opts in and gets traded before the season starts. I think Presti will make a concerted effort, like last year, to get this team the right players in order to contend. If not, Trading Westbrook for young talent will be key. Is Westbrook worth the Greek freak? With the Warriors at half a tank, it is becoming more and more clear that I don't think that band will stick together forever. Maybe we see a ......KD-Westbrook reunion with a kiss and make up.

[Dadouv47]

Then we ride out Russell's contract, make the playoffs as the 7th/8th seed for a few years (if we can do it with his 2017 team we can do it with just about any ensemble of players), then let him retire an OKC legend, allowing the legacy of this franchise to be something other than the team that had and lost three MVPs. We'll go down as the franchise that lost two, which is...bad...but at least the franchise will have some kind of lasting legacy from a player.

It delays the rebuild by a few years, but in the process allows this very young franchise to build some kind of history, and it makes sure the fans get truly attached, over a long period of time, to a team that wins a lot of games and has many playoff appearances, so that when the team is bad again, the fans are too hooked to the team to completely walk away.

My god that’s depressing but probably right.

But hey, at least the best duo in the league had the appropriate amount of help in 2016, right? A College Coach who should have stayed in College, a clown who's unaplayable when it matters the most, a scrub who should not have seen a single minute with this team and a wing who was known for yelling and-1 after missing badly on a layup.

Are you talking about cupcake in game 6?

[Marcus50]

Next year Durant signs with OKC for Russ/George/Durant/Melo/Adams - LOL would that be a laugh

[bondom34]

Vecsey reporting PG is committed to re-sign with OKC. We're screwed.

[ThunderBolt]

If George did re-sign I wonder if there is a shot he doesn’t do a one year deal.

[slick_watts]

Vecsey reporting PG is committed to re-sign with OKC. We're screwed.

it would explain sam presti's inaction if this was the case- but there are a lot of other explanations as well.

i'm kind of shocked how many media and nba players think he's staying.

[bondom34]

Vecsey reporting PG is committed to re-sign with OKC. We're screwed.

it would explain sam presti's inaction if this was the case- but there are a lot of other explanations as well.

i'm kind of shocked how many media and nba players think he's staying.

I haven't really seen any who think for sure he is. Definitely not nationally.

But if it's about basketball, he's not going to the Lakers. I still have Philly.

[ThunderBolt]

Vecsey reporting PG is committed to re-sign with OKC. We're screwed.

it would explain sam presti's inaction if this was the case- but there are a lot of other explanations as well.

i'm kind of shocked how many media and nba players think he's staying.

I haven't really seen any who think for sure he is. Definitely not nationally.

But if it's about basketball, he's not going to the Lakers. I still have Philly.

I don’t think it’s about basketball. The lakers were worse off last year when he told Indiana he was going to sign with them. He keeps saying he wants to do what’s best for his family. I’m guessing he has a hard time finding a babysitter in okc and needs to be closer to his parents.

[bondom34]

it would explain sam presti's inaction if this was the case- but there are a lot of other explanations as well.

i'm kind of shocked how many media and nba players think he's staying.

I haven't really seen any who think for sure he is. Definitely not nationally.

But if it's about basketball, he's not going to the Lakers. I still have Philly.

I don’t think it’s about basketball. The lakers were worse off last year when he told Indiana he was going to sign with them. He keeps saying he wants to do what’s best for his family. I’m guessing he has a hard time finding a babysitter in okc and needs to be closer to his parents.

Eh, it was 1 comment. He's said plenty of nice things too. If you dissect every word you can come up with whatever you wanted to hear. Just gotta play it out.

[Kizz Fastfists]

No one knows what will happen with PG. I do think that if you are just looking at LAL and OKC the better team next year would be which ever one had PG. I think Philly and a few other teams are better options then OKC or LAL for PG unless LAL gets PG and another max, maybe Cousins, to sign.

[bondom34]

No one knows what will happen with PG. I do think that if you are just looking at LAL and OKC the better team next year would be which ever one had PG. I think Philly and a few other teams are better options then OKC or LAL for PG unless LAL gets PG and another max, maybe Cousins, to sign.

Agree mostly, but if PG is comparing which team he goes further with its still OKC unless LA magically gets someone else.

[Pillendreher]

http://www.shamsports.com/capulator

This is a nice little tool.

1) George re-signs for the MAX, Melo doesn't opt out. Felton, Grant, Huestis gone, Colllison retires.

Russ/x/x
Roberson/Abrines/Ferguson
George/Singler/x
Melo/Patterson/x
Adams/Dakari/x

+ capholds for Dozier and Hamilton

+ Taxpayer MLE

+ Sabonis TPE

+ Oladipo TPE

Total Salary: $ 150 million
Cap Room: - $ 48 million
Tax Payment: $ 84 million

2) George re-signs for the MAX, Melo opts out and re-signs for 30/3. Felton, Grant, Huestis gone, Colllison retires.

Russ/x/x
Roberson/Abrines/Ferguson
George/Singler/x
Melo/Patterson/x
Adams/Dakari/x

+ capholds for Dozier and Hamilton

+ Taxpayer MLE

+ Sabonis TPE

+ Oladipo TPE

Total Salary: $ 133 million
Cap Room: - $ 32 million
Tax Payment: $ 14 million

3) George leaves, Melo opts in. Felton, Grant, Huestis gone, Colllison retires.

Russ/x/x
Roberson/Abrines/Ferguson
x/Singler/x
Melo/Patterson/x
Adams/Dakari/x

+ capholds for Dozier and Hamilton

+ Minimum Roster Charge

+ Non-Taxpayer MLE

+ BAE

Total Salary: $ 119 million
Cap Room: - $ 19 million
Tax Payment: $ 0 million

4) George leaves, Melo opts out. Felton, Grant, Huestis gone, Colllison retires.

Russ/x/x
Roberson/Abrines/Ferguson
x/Singler/x
x/Patterson/x
Adams/Dakari/x

+ capholds for Dozier and Hamilton

+ 2x Minimum Roster Charge

+ Non-Taxpayer MLE

+ BAE

Total Salary: $ 107 million
Cap Room: - $ 6 million
Tax Payment: $ 0 million

(Renouncing MLE and BAE: $ 9 million cap room; stretching Singler and dumping Abrines: $ 17 million cap room)

[ThunderBolt]

I was playing with that yesterday. I realized two things. We are really screwed but so are a lot of other bad teams. Guys like KCP are going to get pennies on the dollar, imo.

[Pillendreher]

I was playing with that yesterday. I realized two things. We are really screwed but so are a lot of other bad teams. Guys like KCP are going to get pennies on the dollar, imo.

The league really **** up with the Cap Spike. They should have never let that happen like this. You basically got two to three straight FA classes overpaid and now guys will get underpaid because it will take years for the bad contracts to come off the books.
The only team that really benefited from this is the Warriors: This crazy anamoly enabled them to go after a Top 5 player and now their opponents can't even spend money to catch up because the cap isn't climbing anymore.

[ThunderBolt]

I was playing with that yesterday. I realized two things. We are really screwed but so are a lot of other bad teams. Guys like KCP are going to get pennies on the dollar, imo.

The league really **** up with the Cap Spike. They should have never let that happen like this. You basically got two to three straight FA classes overpaid and now guys will get underpaid because it will take years for the bad contracts to come off the books.
The only team that really benefited from this is the Warriors: This crazy anamoly enabled them to go after a Top 5 player and now their opponents can't even spend money to catch up because the cap isn't climbing anymore.

It really surprises me that front offices didn’t see it coming.

[Pillendreher]

I was playing with that yesterday. I realized two things. We are really screwed but so are a lot of other bad teams. Guys like KCP are going to get pennies on the dollar, imo.

The league really **** up with the Cap Spike. They should have never let that happen like this. You basically got two to three straight FA classes overpaid and now guys will get underpaid because it will take years for the bad contracts to come off the books.
The only team that really benefited from this is the Warriors: This crazy anamoly enabled them to go after a Top 5 player and now their opponents can't even spend money to catch up because the cap isn't climbing anymore.

It really surprises me that front offices didn’t see it coming.

Afaik the cap projections were more 'aggressive' before the start of last season, as in the cap spiking would be going on for quite some time (like 5-10 million every season). But even under that assumption, a lof of these contracts were just straight up horrible (and everybody could see that). So I don't know what they were thinking.

[Atomic Punk]

Vecsey reporting PG is committed to re-sign with OKC. We're screwed.

it would explain sam presti's inaction if this was the case- but there are a lot of other explanations as well.

i'm kind of shocked how many media and nba players think he's staying.

When I read that I thought if true, it could explain why no moves were made. Perhaps PG said that he was going to resign, the team had shown him enough already and dont piss away assets on guys like Bellinelli. It makes sense for the team to hold on to its assets to give them more flexibility in the offseason if they didn’t see a move out there that they considered a difference maker. Regroup in the offseason, shore up some areas of weakness and try again.

On the flip side, I thought Vescey is full of s**t and maybe PG has already indicated he is not coming back so the team decided to hold on to whatever assets it had left to start a rebuild.

Those are really the only two reasons I can see for not making a move.