You are the GM...George comes back, Melo Opts in, Ownership will pay tax

[spearsy23]

Over or Under 10% that PG13 stays? if he leaves, what are the odds that he does some S&T? I'm more confident about the second option

I don't know if I want him to stay even. I've said before that I wanted to watch good basketball for as long as possible, has this year actually been good? Or even entertaining? I've felt disappointed and frustrated more than anything. My favorite memory of the year is probably watching Ferguson light up a couple of teams...

[Dadouv47]

Over or Under 10% that PG13 stays? if he leaves, what are the odds that he does some S&T? I'm more confident about the second option

I don't know if I want him to stay even. I've said before that I wanted to watch good basketball for as long as possible, has this year actually been good? Or even entertaining? I've felt disappointed and frustrated more than anything. My favorite memory of the year is probably watching Ferguson light up a couple of teams...

You are right to some extent. I Believe this team with PG13 and without Melo could be good and way more entertaining.

So, one more bad year if we are lucky that PG13 stays (big if)

[ThunderBolt]

Over or Under 10% that PG13 stays? if he leaves, what are the odds that he does some S&T? I'm more confident about the second option

I don't know if I want him to stay even. I've said before that I wanted to watch good basketball for as long as possible, has this year actually been good? Or even entertaining? I've felt disappointed and frustrated more than anything. My favorite memory of the year is probably watching Ferguson light up a couple of teams...

You are right to some extent. I Believe this team with PG13 and without Melo could be good and way more entertaining.

So, one more bad year if we are lucky that PG13 stays (big if)

So one more year of wear and tear on russ’ knees and then maybe we can live up to expectations. Cool.

[DoItALL9]

Have you told Presti about this idea?

I'll send him the text today. I'll tell him to take Luol Deng and beg for a 2nd rounder too.

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This makes the team better.

Agreed

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[DoItALL9]

Try to trade Carmelo Anthony for Ryan Anderson and Trevor Ariza (S&T)

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[Balkman32]

Try to trade Carmelo Anthony for Ryan Anderson and Trevor Ariza (S&T)

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Boooo No thanks!

[Balkman32]

So let’s assume that ownership is good with tax, George comes back to OKC, Melo opts in. What realistic moves do you make this summer to make this team the best it can be for next season?

Well if PG signs a new deal w/ OKC its all down hill after that.

Grant - The Thunder will have to watch what Jerami Grant. Hopefully we can get him to re-sign somewhere under the mid-level for a non-tax payer under $9 million per. Resigning Grant makes a lot of sense if we can keep that number down. a 4 year deal worth $20 million should be able to get it done.

Felton - I think he would be nice to come back on the same deal he was on last year. If he wants more or a different situation the Thunder will have to replace him.

Taxpayers Mid-level - The Thunder needs to add the best player that is can through this avenue if they do so choose to use it. The Thunder can only pay the player a starting salary of $5.8 million. Up to 4 seasons with raises at 5% of their salary. An Aaron Baynes, Will Barton, Avery Bradley, Rod Hood, & Kanter all makes some sense. The Thunder need to add a Center, Wing and Point this offseason. The Thunder need to add the best capable player that is willing to sign this deal. Its the only way to add to this team other than a trade.

If the Thunder sign Paul George, Jerami Grant for $24 million 4 year deal, a tax payer mid-level $5.8 million year 1, and sign a vet min. They will have 13 guys on the roster and just about $40 million over the Lux tax including Melo.

Trade - I think the team has to move on from Melo unless Westbrook and George want him back. Melo also has to approve any deal. If he is traded he would most likely want to be bought out so he can go join the Rockets. With this deal I think the Thunder get more for a package of Melo and Singler because they are expiring. Melo and Singler are $33 million in combined salary. If the Thunder could take back $40 - $45 in incomming slaries but it be over a 2 year period it would reduce the tax bill this year.

One thing to note here. Lets say PG signs a 2+1 so he is here the year after. With just Westbrook, George, Adams, Dre, Patterson (PO), and T-Ferg on the roster in 19-20 the Thunder are already over the cap and just $13 million away from the Lux Tax. If we did the deals I stated above (erami Grant for $24 million 4 year deal, a tax payer mid level $5.8 million year 1, $6 million year 2) we would be about a million under the Lux tax with only 8 players.

I think for the next two season the Team should be expecting to operate about $30 million over the Lux Tax. This will be super expensive. This could cost the franchise $200 million in lux tax for opperating this way. But, if the Thunder dont have Paul George there is no chance in beating the Warriors.

[Kizz Fastfists]

You do realize that those two contracts, $24/4 ($6M) and $5.8M would total approximately $80M in total salary including tax, right? You think OKC is going to go that deep into the tax? Grant is gone if PG stays. If PG leaves Grant is still probably gone so they can avoid the tax. They will not be using their MLE so they can avoid the tax or avoid the $1:5+ tax rate. The Thunder have no chance of getting out of the first round with or without George. Thinking they have any chance of beating the Warriors is like looking out your window every morning expecting to see a unicorn.

OKC will be worse next year even if PG comes back. Russ is coming off the worst FT rate of his career and worst TS% since his 2nd season in the league. He is in decline and turning 30 with two knees that have been worked on. Roberson isn't going to be the same after his injury. Melo is a bad player that will be older, slower and disgruntled and is only going to waive his NTC for teams that can only offer garbage, i.e. Ryan Anderson from Houston or JR Smith and Clarkson from Cleveland. Stretching Melo AND signing long-term money, i.e. Grant and a MLE just add to the years of paying tax while being, at best, a fringe playoff team.

[Balkman32]

You do realize that those two contracts, $24/4 ($6M) and $5.8M would total approximately $80M in total salary including tax, right? You think OKC is going to go that deep into the tax? Grant is gone if PG stays. If PG leaves Grant is still probably gone so they can avoid the tax. They will not be using their MLE so they can avoid the tax or avoid the $1:5+ tax rate. The Thunder have no chance of getting out of the first round with or without George. Thinking they have any chance of beating the Warriors is like looking out your window every morning expecting to see a unicorn.

OKC will be worse next year even if PG comes back. Russ is coming off the worst FT rate of his career and worst TS% since his 2nd season in the league. He is in decline and turning 30 with two knees that have been worked on. Roberson isn't going to be the same after his injury. Melo is a bad player that will be older, slower and disgruntled and is only going to waive his NTC for teams that can only offer garbage, i.e. Ryan Anderson from Houston or JR Smith and Clarkson from Cleveland. Stretching Melo AND signing long-term money, i.e. Grant and a MLE just add to the years of paying tax while being, at best, a fringe playoff team.

It aint my money. I think both the team and ownership have to understand in giving out thoes contracts they help the team. Hopefully the team can move off some of Melo's entire $28 million. But, if they want George they have to be willing to bring guys back and not spending $5-6 million a year to a guy could end up being the reason why PG13 leaves.

I know you just want to blow it up. But, they need to bring these guys in. For the Lux tax it only matters where the team slaary ends at.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Assuming PG signs, $6M for Grant and the taxpayer's MLE is used and they trim Melo down to $20M via trade that leaves OKC with a $300M salary!!!! You really think ownership is going to take that loss for a team that might not even make the playoffs and is definitely not getting out of the first round???

[spearsy23]

Assuming PG signs, $6M for Grant and the taxpayer's MLE is used and they trim Melo down to $20M via trade that leaves OKC with a $300M salary!!!! You really think ownership is going to take that loss for a team that might not even make the playoffs and is definitely not getting out of the first round???

If we assume they aren't willing to then what's the motivation behind re-signing George? They have to think the roster, at least the biggest components of it, is capable of contending for a title. If that's not the case, and they want to keep George, then you have to assume they're looking at moving anyone and everyone else except Russ. If that's the case then there's no telling what the cap situation may eventually end up.

[ThunderBolt]

I still think if George signs, Adams might be gone.

[Kizz Fastfists]

There are a few options. One, they intend to stretch Melo and think that will keep the tax low enough they can still break even. Two, they intend to trade Melo even if they have to attach Ferguson and other assets. Three, they plan on trading Adams for less salary. Four, they plan on trading some combination of Roberson, Abrines, Singler and Patterson to shed salary including whatever assets are needed. Five, they intend to trade Russ later in the off-season, PG at the deadline and blow the whole thing up so the salary cap is meaningless during the off-season since they will shed it before it comes in as tax.

Sign PG, assuming it is a 1+1 or 2+1, with the intent of trading him at the deadline, although they wouldn't let him know that. Stretch Melo when they can't trade him for less salary. Trade Russ in September. Possibly trade Adams. You are basically signing PG to flip him into a FRP or prospect at the deadline. I'm not saying I expect them to trade Russ, PG and Adams if PG stays, but it is technically an option. I expect them to stretch Melo to reduce the tax number and then attach a future pick to Singler and only sign vet minimum guys this off-season, which means letting Grant walk.

Russ/Felton
Roberson/Abrines
PG/Ferguson
Patterson/vet minimum
Adams/Dakari

Throw in 3 more vet minimum guys, possibly Huestis is one of them. I believe that puts the payroll, with a stretched Melo, at $131.4M. That is $9M in the tax, which could be palatable if they believe they will be out of it next season if Patterson opts out and they let Abrines walk. They would also be out of it, easily, if PG signed a 1+1 and then left after next season to join LAL or wherever LeBron is. It really all starts with PG making his decision. If PG leaves then they can avoid the tax without a problem. They could stretch Melo or trade him for Deng. If they think they can retool around Russ and Adams after PG leaves they will either buyout Melo, play him or send him home. They won't stretch him for the long-term hit if they think they can compete with a little 4 of Russ, Roberson, Adams and whatever FA they think they can land next off-season.