Trade Ideas Thread: Deadline Edition

[SecondTake]

Burton is definitely getting signed. He's a beast. Unlike Diallo early in the season, he defends well, plays smart and can shoot from outside.

Why unlike Diallo? Diallo is only 20 years old. Lets let him develop a little bit, same could be said about Ferguson at this point last year. Burton is 25 and thiiiiick. I think he can be good for this team. I don't know if I want to rely on him being the first wing off the bench though.

Well I think Diallo will be good next year. My point is, early in the season I was one of those guys that were saying Diallo should be starting ahead of Ferg. Obvously that didn't last. He couldn't shoot, can't defend. He'll probably be great next year because he has all the tools but needs time sharpening them.

Burton looks a lot more complete already, albeit with a tiny sample size. His college 3p numbers were impressive so I think that he keeps it up in the NBA based on his last game showing continuation there. His defense was really solid the last two games. He's also built like a miniature Zion almost; heavy AF for his size, but mostly muscle and bone. Seems to play calm and doesn't bounce at every pump fake the way Nader and Diallo do.

Obviously we need to keep playing him to see how he holds up, but Nader and Diallo play one side of the ball right now, and both are extremely rough around the edges (especially Diallo) even on that side. If Burton can play a solid 2 way game then he should be coming off ahead of those two.

[Balkman32]

Matthews was offered a starting job in Indiana. The Thunder are offering 10-20 minute off the bench. Matthews might be able to get another contract after starting for the Pacers. If he came here Dre would have ended out beating him out.

[Dadouv47]

Matthews was offered a starting job in Indiana. The Thunder are offering 10-20 minute off the bench. Matthews might be able to get another contract after starting for the Pacers. If he came here Dre would have ended out beating him out.

Well I don't think his decision was based on this year playing time. OKC was able to give him 20 minutes/game on a team that is trying to get to the WCF so it's still better than less than 30 games in Indiana with a team that is probably losing in the first round (not that it can't happen to us as well but we have a better shot to make a playoff run).

Indiana is a better place for him to get a new contract for next year. We don't have enough money to give him a decent contract while the Pacers can commit with him long term if he plays well there.

[Pillendreher]

https://newsok.com/article/5622762/assessing-the-thunders-post-all-star-break-roster-options

No new names I think.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Indiana is a better place for him to get a new contract for next year. We don't have enough money to give him a decent contract while the Pacers can commit with him long term if he plays well there.

Indiana won't have bird rights so their off-season offer would be capped the same either way. OKC could have offered more money this year since they still have their MLE. Indiana will have max cap space this off-season, but they will need to use a large chunk of that for a starting PG since Collison and Joseph both hit FA this off-season. Tyreke will also be a FA they might try to resign, but they don't have bird rights on him either.

He signed with Indiana strictly for playing time this year. Can't blame him for that. I also don't think Presti is offering any of the buy-out guys more than the minimum, despite being one of the few teams that could offer them more money. OKC appears to be capped out on payroll which means they likely try to trim some this off-season after their first round exit.

[SecondTake]

Indiana is a better place for him to get a new contract for next year. We don't have enough money to give him a decent contract while the Pacers can commit with him long term if he plays well there.

Indiana won't have bird rights so their off-season offer would be capped the same either way. OKC could have offered more money this year since they still have their MLE. Indiana will have max cap space this off-season, but they will need to use a large chunk of that for a starting PG since Collison and Joseph both hit FA this off-season. Tyreke will also be a FA they might try to resign, but they don't have bird rights on him either.

He signed with Indiana strictly for playing time this year. Can't blame him for that. I also don't think Presti is offering any of the buy-out guys more than the minimum, despite being one of the few teams that could offer them more money. OKC appears to be capped out on payroll which means they likely try to trim some this off-season after their first round exit.

I doubt it. WCF is our floor, championship our ceiling. Doubt you downgrade after either.

[Balkman32]

Indiana is a better place for him to get a new contract for next year. We don't have enough money to give him a decent contract while the Pacers can commit with him long term if he plays well there.

Indiana won't have bird rights so their off-season offer would be capped the same either way. OKC could have offered more money this year since they still have their MLE. Indiana will have max cap space this off-season, but they will need to use a large chunk of that for a starting PG since Collison and Joseph both hit FA this off-season. Tyreke will also be a FA they might try to resign, but they don't have bird rights on him either.

He signed with Indiana strictly for playing time this year. Can't blame him for that. I also don't think Presti is offering any of the buy-out guys more than the minimum, despite being one of the few teams that could offer them more money. OKC appears to be capped out on payroll which means they likely try to trim some this off-season after their first round exit.

Last statement is bull crap. first they ain't going down in the first round. 2nd they have the 2nd largest payroll in the league and they are in the bottom of markets. I think this shows that they actual care. I also don't know where you see them timing their salary because they have 10 guys on contract for next season @ $143 million.

[Dadouv47]

Indiana is a better place for him to get a new contract for next year. We don't have enough money to give him a decent contract while the Pacers can commit with him long term if he plays well there.

Indiana won't have bird rights so their off-season offer would be capped the same either way. OKC could have offered more money this year since they still have their MLE. Indiana will have max cap space this off-season, but they will need to use a large chunk of that for a starting PG since Collison and Joseph both hit FA this off-season. Tyreke will also be a FA they might try to resign, but they don't have bird rights on him either.

He signed with Indiana strictly for playing time this year. Can't blame him for that. I also don't think Presti is offering any of the buy-out guys more than the minimum, despite being one of the few teams that could offer them more money. OKC appears to be capped out on payroll which means they likely try to trim some this off-season after their first round exit.

I doubt it. WCF is our floor, championship our ceiling. Doubt you downgrade after either.

[Dadouv47]

Indiana is a better place for him to get a new contract for next year. We don't have enough money to give him a decent contract while the Pacers can commit with him long term if he plays well there.

Indiana won't have bird rights so their off-season offer would be capped the same either way. OKC could have offered more money this year since they still have their MLE. Indiana will have max cap space this off-season, but they will need to use a large chunk of that for a starting PG since Collison and Joseph both hit FA this off-season. Tyreke will also be a FA they might try to resign, but they don't have bird rights on him either.

He signed with Indiana strictly for playing time this year. Can't blame him for that. I also don't think Presti is offering any of the buy-out guys more than the minimum, despite being one of the few teams that could offer them more money. OKC appears to be capped out on payroll which means they likely try to trim some this off-season after their first round exit.

Last statement is bull crap. first they ain't going down in the first round. 2nd they have the 2nd largest payroll in the league and they are in the bottom of markets. I think this shows that they actual care. I also don't know where you see them timing their salary because they have 10 guys on contract for next season @ $143 million.

Agree about the Indiana part but how people can claim that OKC won't lose in the first round? We could face Houston, Portland, Utah, maybe Lakers. What odds are you giving to the Thunder in a playoff series against Houston? I mean, if u are CRAZY OPTIMISTIC u can say 70% (I'm more about 50% at best but whatever) so it's delusional to say that we can't lose in the first round. Best case scenario would be to play the Spurs or Kings and then I would give us a relatively high percentage of winning (70%+)

It's not 2013-2016 when we used to face terrible teams in the first round that we could easily sweep. Odds of going to the WCF are lower than losing in the first round (won't be surprised if any of those two happen)

[Kizz Fastfists]

Agree about the Indiana part but how people can claim that OKC won't lose in the first round?

The same way they claimed it last year. I have found far too many Thunder fans that didn't follow the NBA until OKC got a team. Even now they don't follow the NBA just the Thunder so they idea about where OKC is relative to the rest of the league. They don't understand the difference between teams being built for the regular season and teams built for the playoffs. I started following the NBA as a kid in the 80s. I grew up a LAL fan because I loved watching Magic. I actively rooted against Jordan after the Bulls won their first championship over the Lakers.

When OKC got a team I became a Thunder fan. I had stopped rooting for the Lakers shortly after Magic left the game. I had just been a fan of the game. When I talk to people who grew up here and stayed loyal to the team they grew up cheering for I understand that. If OKC got a MLB team I can't say I would root for them over the Cubs that I have loved/hated since I was a kid. I would follow the local team and if they were in the AL it would be easy to be a fan of both knowing in the unlikely event the two met in the World Series I'd make a choice at that time. I often find the most optimistic OKC fans did not follow the NBA before 2007. There is nothing wrong with that, but the ones like that are very annoying to me because they have no sense of the history. Those are the ones I find who think OKC is going to magically make the WCF or Finals with the current roster. They can't back it up with any reasoning. They can't think through how the team will deal being game planned for in a series and shut down like Utah did to them last year. They have seen OKC make deep playoff runs and just expect it without understand the difference in team dynamics, opponents and strategy.

The idea that Russ is the first player that could have done what he is doing is a sign of not following the NBA. He is the first and we can argue the good and bad of that, because there are both sides. Michael Jordan could have averaged a triple double his whole career, but he wanted rings. I would actually have loved to hear a conversation between Jordan and Rodman where Jordan told him just to block out so he could abandon his man and get uncontested defensive rebounds at a historically high level just to get triple doubles. Rodman would have punched Jordan out. OKC isn't playing for championships. The player who wanted rings above all else left so he could get them. OKC has multiple players playing for individual glory and if you can't see that when watching you haven't seen enough basketball to understand how championships teams play the game. Just like Kobe saying the other day that Houston can't win a championship the way Harden was playing without Paul. While that is true, Harden had to play that way to keep the wins coming in the regular season, as Kobe also noted. Harden was playing a type of basketball that works in the regular season, but would never work in the playoffs. As CP3 gets back to normal Harden will return to playing better basketball.

[JustOneFix]

The same way they claimed it last year. I have found far too many Thunder fans that didn't follow the NBA until OKC got a team. Even now they don't follow the NBA just the Thunder so they idea about where OKC is relative to the rest of the league. They don't understand the difference between teams being built for the regular season and teams built for the playoffs. I started following the NBA as a kid in the 80s. I grew up a LAL fan because I loved watching Magic. I actively rooted against Jordan after the Bulls won their first championship over the Lakers.

When OKC got a team I became a Thunder fan. I had stopped rooting for the Lakers shortly after Magic left the game. I had just been a fan of the game. When I talk to people who grew up here and stayed loyal to the team they grew up cheering for I understand that. If OKC got a MLB team I can't say I would root for them over the Cubs that I have loved/hated since I was a kid. I would follow the local team and if they were in the AL it would be easy to be a fan of both knowing in the unlikely event the two met in the World Series I'd make a choice at that time. I often find the most optimistic OKC fans did not follow the NBA before 2007. There is nothing wrong with that, but the ones like that are very annoying to me because they have no sense of the history. Those are the ones I find who think OKC is going to magically make the WCF or Finals with the current roster. They can't back it up with any reasoning.

I am following NBA since 1988. and I don't find anything outrageus in stating that this team could get to the conference finals. It all gets down to the seedings in my opinion. Sure, if we meet either Golden State, or Denver perhaps, in the first 2 rounds then yeah, you might have a point. But I am really not sure why you think we wouldn't be able to beat the Jazz, the Spurs, the Blazers, or even the Houston in a seven game series? What historical point of view backs that up?

OKC isn't playing for championships.

How do you know? It doesn't look to me that way at all. I see a great chemistry, a great spirit and high energy group of guys who love to play with each other. I don't see any blatant dispay of selfishness like you claim there is.

They can't think through how the team will deal being game planned for in a series and shut down like Utah did to them last year. They have seen OKC make deep playoff runs and just expect it without understand the difference in team dynamics, opponents and strategy.

This is entirely different team. It's like night and day. Last year team had no depth whatsoever. No backup bigs, Felton was like our only option of the bench and off course, there was Melo in there too. So, you are talking about completely different team. This year, George is playing out of his mind, defense is alot better, the bench is way better with Schroder and Noel, Grant is playing better, Ferguson is emerging etc etc. It's really uncomparable.

The player who wanted rings above all else left so he could get them.

He left because he's coward and he wanted the easy way out. He wanted to collect rings, not earn them. He left because he realized he's not the man for the job. Otherwise he would have closed the series out being up 3-1 with game 6 at home. And while you mention Michael Jordan. You think he would allow his man, or any other player at his position, droping 11 threes in the most cruacial part of the most crucial game of the season? You don't think after 4th or 5th threes, he would say "OK, he's mine now. I'm going to lock his ass down"? Has Kevin Durant done that? Nope. He was just starring and jogging around while Klay Thompson was ending his season. Sorry, that does not sound like a champion to me.

[Dadouv47]

Agree about the Indiana part but how people can claim that OKC won't lose in the first round?

The same way they claimed it last year. I have found far too many Thunder fans that didn't follow the NBA until OKC got a team. Even now they don't follow the NBA just the Thunder so they idea about where OKC is relative to the rest of the league. They don't understand the difference between teams being built for the regular season and teams built for the playoffs. I started following the NBA as a kid in the 80s. I grew up a LAL fan because I loved watching Magic. I actively rooted against Jordan after the Bulls won their first championship over the Lakers.

When OKC got a team I became a Thunder fan. I had stopped rooting for the Lakers shortly after Magic left the game. I had just been a fan of the game. When I talk to people who grew up here and stayed loyal to the team they grew up cheering for I understand that. If OKC got a MLB team I can't say I would root for them over the Cubs that I have loved/hated since I was a kid. I would follow the local team and if they were in the AL it would be easy to be a fan of both knowing in the unlikely event the two met in the World Series I'd make a choice at that time. I often find the most optimistic OKC fans did not follow the NBA before 2007. There is nothing wrong with that, but the ones like that are very annoying to me because they have no sense of the history. Those are the ones I find who think OKC is going to magically make the WCF or Finals with the current roster. They can't back it up with any reasoning. They can't think through how the team will deal being game planned for in a series and shut down like Utah did to them last year. They have seen OKC make deep playoff runs and just expect it without understand the difference in team dynamics, opponents and strategy.

The idea that Russ is the first player that could have done what he is doing is a sign of not following the NBA. He is the first and we can argue the good and bad of that, because there are both sides. Michael Jordan could have averaged a triple double his whole career, but he wanted rings. I would actually have loved to hear a conversation between Jordan and Rodman where Jordan told him just to block out so he could abandon his man and get uncontested defensive rebounds at a historically high level just to get triple doubles. Rodman would have punched Jordan out. OKC isn't playing for championships. The player who wanted rings above all else left so he could get them. OKC has multiple players playing for individual glory and if you can't see that when watching you haven't seen enough basketball to understand how championships teams play the game. Just like Kobe saying the other day that Houston can't win a championship the way Harden was playing without Paul. While that is true, Harden had to play that way to keep the wins coming in the regular season, as Kobe also noted. Harden was playing a type of basketball that works in the regular season, but would never work in the playoffs. As CP3 gets back to normal Harden will return to playing better basketball.

While u said some great realistic things about our team and basketball on general, I think the timing couldn't be worse to say that we have ''multiple players playing for individual glory''. It's by far the unselfish Thunder team I haver ever seen. PG13 is naturally an unselfish player, Westbrook is willing to take a step back in order to win and Adams is probably one of the most unselfish player of his generation.

I also don't think OKC is particularly build for the regular season. We have 2 superstars that CAN (not that they will) step up comes playoff time and would have enough depth if Roberson was healthy. If he was healthy we would have enough back ups for almost every position except for replace PG13. I just think the West is stacked and we are very lucky we stayed healthy so far this season, which is the main reason we are ahead Houston and not so far behind the Nuggets.

Anyway, I think the gap between Nuggets/OKC/Houston/Utah/Blazers (and I would add the Lakers) is so close that I wouldn't be surprise to see any of those teams beating us in the first round and going to the WCF. It will come down to match ups, coaching and mostly if our stars and other players can play well at that time (Ferguson is almost playing like a veteran like now, I want to see the same comes playoff time and it's not a sure thing). I'm also not sure if PG13 will play with that level of confidence comes playoff time.

I understand the fans though because this team REALLY need to go through the first round because of last two years and it would be a huge meltdown and a big disappointment to lose in the first round after being able to keep PG13 and turning him into a top 3 MVP candidate.

I think this team is going in the right direction (Unselfishness like I mentioned, coaching improved, BBIQ improved even with Westbrook taking dumb 3's, team bounding is also at an all time high) and we badly need to have a playoff run (WCF being our ceiling for me) to keep improving for the next 2 years (probably the last ones before rebuilding, whether is it a full rebuild or being 35-40 wins team.

Outside of the fact that fans want a playoff run, our players really need that to keep growing and if we want Clay Bennet to keep spending money before Westbrook's knees are totally screwed, they need to show that they have a chance to make something special.

[ThunderBolt]

If russ’ shooting haven’t fallen off a cliff and he would efficenitly defer to PG and others as well Dre came back healthy, then I think we may be close to being able to make golden state work for it. As it is I see russ shooting 20+ shots a game in the playoffs and Dre not making it back this year.

[Dadouv47]

If russ’ shooting haven’t fallen off a cliff and he would efficenitly defer to PG and others as well Dre came back healthy, then I think we may be close to being able to make golden state work for it. As it is I see russ shooting 20+ shots a game in the playoffs and Dre not making it back this year.

Dre coming back healthy this year is a dream. Well I know the Thunder organization is not going to release any info (WTF was that coming from Billy about not wanting to comment on Schroeder while he just missed the game because he was going to be a father) but I can't see Dre coming back healthy this year.

Maybe I'm delusional but I wouldn't be surprised to see Russ hitting his midrange shot comes playoff time (not those stupid 3's). Russ is a crazy specimen...he made the only 3 that he really wanted to make yesterday (in order to give PG13 his triple double). He was also the only Thunder player able to step up against the Jazz for the last 2 games last year.

[Dn4sty]

There are some posters that just aren’t worth engaging. It’s pretty obvious in the last few posts who that is.

[Kizz Fastfists]

And while you mention Michael Jordan. You think he would allow his man, or any other player at his position, droping 11 threes in the most cruacial part of the most crucial game of the season? You don't think after 4th or 5th threes, he would say "OK, he's mine now. I'm going to lock his ass down"? Has Kevin Durant done that? Nope. He was just starring and jogging around while Klay Thompson was ending his season. Sorry, that does not sound like a champion to me.

Russ was the one with 4 turnovers in the final 1:40 the first of which led to to the fast break 3 from Klay to put GS up for good. Let us PLEASE be intellectually honest about game 6! The game is tied with 1:40 left. Russ turnover at 1:39 and Klay go ahead 3 at 1:35. kd misses a 3. OKC gets a defensive stop, but then Russ turns the ball over again with 55 seconds left. It is still 104-101 at that point. OKC gets the ball back and Russ turns it over again with 35 seconds left! Steph makes is a 106-101 game with 14 seconds left. Russ turns it over again with 12 seconds to go!!! kd fouls Klay to stop the clock, although it was irrelevant due to the Russ turnovers.

OKC went up 101-99 with 2:01 left. From that point forward kd took ONE shot. Russ had FOUR turnovers. A massive kd meltdown is revisionist history based on the OKC propaganda machine. Russ blew the game more than kd did. Neither had a good game. MJ would have taken the ball away from Russ in the last two minutes. We'll never know what would have happened if kd had done that. kd's mistake was trusting Russ. Unless you think kd was trying to throw the series, then he did exactly what he should have done and let Russ implode. The entire team shot terrible that game, 3-23 from 3!!! Yes, kd had a terrible shooting night. Yet, OKC was winning until Russ literally gave the game away.

[Dadouv47]

There are some posters that just aren’t worth engaging. It’s pretty obvious in the last few posts who that is.

I don't know if u are talking about me or Kizz but I wonder what other recent posts are worth engaging. Don't think there's anything wrong to say that our team is good but far from unbeatable' (even more after reading some delusional posts like ''our floor is WCF and ceiling is to win the title'')

[Dadouv47]

And while you mention Michael Jordan. You think he would allow his man, or any other player at his position, droping 11 threes in the most cruacial part of the most crucial game of the season? You don't think after 4th or 5th threes, he would say "OK, he's mine now. I'm going to lock his ass down"? Has Kevin Durant done that? Nope. He was just starring and jogging around while Klay Thompson was ending his season. Sorry, that does not sound like a champion to me.

Russ was the one with 4 turnovers in the final 1:40 the first of which led to to the fast break 3 from Klay to put GS up for good. Let us PLEASE be intellectually honest about game 6! The game is tied with 1:40 left. Russ turnover at 1:39 and Klay go ahead 3 at 1:35. kd misses a 3. OKC gets a defensive stop, but then Russ turns the ball over again with 55 seconds left. It is still 104-101 at that point. OKC gets the ball back and Russ turns it over again with 35 seconds left! Steph makes is a 106-101 game with 14 seconds left. Russ turns it over again with 12 seconds to go!!! kd fouls Klay to stop the clock, although it was irrelevant due to the Russ turnovers.

OKC went up 101-99 with 2:01 left. From that point forward kd took ONE shot. Russ had FOUR turnovers. A massive kd meltdown is revisionist history based on the OKC propaganda machine. Russ blew the game more than kd did. Neither had a good game. MJ would have taken the ball away from Russ in the last two minutes. We'll never know what would have happened if kd had done that. kd's mistake was trusting Russ. Unless you think kd was trying to throw the series, then he did exactly what he should have done and let Russ implode. The entire team shot terrible that game, 3-23 from 3!!! Yes, kd had a terrible shooting night. Yet, OKC was winning until Russ literally gave the game away.

Kevin Durant, one of the best scorer in the history of the league, was 10/31 and 1/8 from 3 (he was 12/31 in game 5)

He was the worst Thunder player in that game in Ortg and 4th starter in Drtg

Not saying that Westbrook had a great game 6 but when you are the second best player in the league and want to show that you are better than Lebron, that's pretty weak.

[Dn4sty]

There are some posters that just aren’t worth engaging. It’s pretty obvious in the last few posts who that is.

I don't know if u are talking about me or Kizz but I wonder what other recent posts are worth engaging. Don't think there's anything wrong to say that our team is good but far from unbeatable' (even more after reading some delusional posts like ''our floor is WCF and ceiling is to win the title'')

Trust me man, you are good. The “individual glory” crap
is asinine. Just nothing but a flame/troll attempt and honestly isn’t worth engaging on any serious level.

I’m totally cool with anything from this team has a decent chance of beating the Warriors (which isn’t where I’m at) all the way to this team might drop enough games to not get homecourt in the playoffs (this isn’t where I’m at either).

I’m not ok with stupid crap that gives EVERYONE but Russ the benefit of the doubt (Russ has some serious flaws no doubt), all the way to “individual glory” garbage.

[spearsy23]

And while you mention Michael Jordan. You think he would allow his man, or any other player at his position, droping 11 threes in the most cruacial part of the most crucial game of the season? You don't think after 4th or 5th threes, he would say "OK, he's mine now. I'm going to lock his ass down"? Has Kevin Durant done that? Nope. He was just starring and jogging around while Klay Thompson was ending his season. Sorry, that does not sound like a champion to me.

Russ was the one with 4 turnovers in the final 1:40 the first of which led to to the fast break 3 from Klay to put GS up for good. Let us PLEASE be intellectually honest about game 6! The game is tied with 1:40 left. Russ turnover at 1:39 and Klay go ahead 3 at 1:35. kd misses a 3. OKC gets a defensive stop, but then Russ turns the ball over again with 55 seconds left. It is still 104-101 at that point. OKC gets the ball back and Russ turns it over again with 35 seconds left! Steph makes is a 106-101 game with 14 seconds left. Russ turns it over again with 12 seconds to go!!! kd fouls Klay to stop the clock, although it was irrelevant due to the Russ turnovers.

OKC went up 101-99 with 2:01 left. From that point forward kd took ONE shot. Russ had FOUR turnovers. A massive kd meltdown is revisionist history based on the OKC propaganda machine. Russ blew the game more than kd did. Neither had a good game. MJ would have taken the ball away from Russ in the last two minutes. We'll never know what would have happened if kd had done that. kd's mistake was trusting Russ. Unless you think kd was trying to throw the series, then he did exactly what he should have done and let Russ implode. The entire team shot terrible that game, 3-23 from 3!!! Yes, kd had a terrible shooting night. Yet, OKC was winning until Russ literally gave the game away.

End of game possessions are not more valuable than any other possessions.