Trade for Westbrook?

[flow]

Honestly this reminds of June 2012 when I was sure Drummond would fall to us and be our pick. (Albeit to pair with Monroe and create the best big man combo in the NBA). To me, Blake is the perfect star to pair with Westbrook and Casey will be the best coach he’s ever had.

Poor Russ. That's very sad, if true.
Regardless, Casey imposes very little discipline or structure on the offense. Russell needs heavy doses of both if he's ever going to become a winning player. Not a good fit.

[Neptune]

The wrong side of 30? Malcontent ball hog? Huh? Who would have known that Westbrook had so many people that disliked him. In addition, folks act like 30yrs old is ancient. Lol, this is crazy!

[Spider156]

Honestly this reminds of June 2012 when I was sure Drummond would fall to us and be our pick. (Albeit to pair with Monroe and create the best big man combo in the NBA). To me, Blake is the perfect star to pair with Westbrook and Casey will be the best coach he’s ever had.

Poor Russ. That's very sad, if true.
Regardless, Casey imposes very little discipline or structure on the offense. Russell needs heavy doses of both if he's ever going to become a winning player. Not a good fit.

Westbrook needs a Larry Brown but there aren't any coaches like him. I think Casey can hone in on Westbrook's defensive abilities knowing he doesn't have to try as hard on rebounding with Drummond on the team. Westbrook averages a triple double, if you allow him to rebound less which means run ahead of the defense then you become a faster team specially him being a freight train charging. It's all about how to get Westbrook to buy in the concept that Drummond has got all the rebounds and he just needs to focus on shooting and playmaking. Rebounding less would allow him to save energy in his legs which throws his shot off. We need to trade for Westbrook. We just can't give up Kennard or doumbouya for him. At most 2 frps protected

[The Moose]

If Westbrook was traded here, either he or Drummond would lose impact on the game.

Over in OKC, Westbrook is allowed to grab a lot of the defensive boards as he often starts the transition offense from that board, and its when he is at his best.
Over here, Drummond tends to grab as many boards as he can and its about his only elite skill.

[Invictus88]

Nothing, but his boss is Tom Gores.

ding ding ding!!

Besides, the fact we're even discussing Westbrook pretty much answers that question.

You'll have to throw me a bone on this one, because I don't see how fans in a forum discussing pros and cons of a trade make it a very real possibility when there has been zero indication from the team ownership/management that it could happen.

People here also discussed trading for John Wall and Andrew Wiggins...

[Neptune]

What the hell is taking so long for this trade to happen?

[Pandev]

Russ has told OKC that he wants to take his talents to South Beach.

But, pistons probably offering the best package of cap relief, talent and draft picks.

Heat don’t have much. Presti’s call at the end of the day.

[JohnReese]

Even if he goes to Heat we should be the third team on the trade. Olynik or Dragic would be great additions to our roster.

[dVs33]

This. If we can steal a capable vet and not end up with Westbrook I'll be happy

Even if he goes to Heat we should be the third team on the trade. Olynik or Dragic would be great additions to our roster.

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[Pandev]

I’d let the Heat have him.

If we wanted a point guard upgrade, we should have taken Mike Conley.

Better salary, team player, same production. Russ contract is a huge killer, plus he can’t shoot, whereas Conley was pretty good from outside.

[Pharaoh]

If I'm Presti I'm not dealing with Riley - I own some of is picks and wouldn't want to make those lesser assets

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[DBC10]

The wrong side of 30? Malcontent ball hog? Huh? Who would have known that Westbrook had so many people that disliked him. In addition, folks act like 30yrs old is ancient. Lol, this is crazy!

He's averaging the worst percentages of his career in FG% 3PT% and FT. If nearly every category is down besides the triple doubles, then that easily classifies as a decline. No team needs a ball dominant (31% usage) point guard shooting those numbers. The fit isn't there with Blake and it relegates Dre to a role he's never really played, which is boxing out to let Russ get his.

That's not even mentioning how overpaid he is thanks to his supermax. It'd be a way easy sell if it was just a straight max for a declining former MVP two years ago. But it's not, expecting him to play like he did two years ago is also unrealistic.

[bjones521]

OKC is going to do right by Russ since he did right by them. So thank god he is not coming here. He wants to go to Miami so he's going there

[flow]

Honestly this reminds of June 2012 when I was sure Drummond would fall to us and be our pick. (Albeit to pair with Monroe and create the best big man combo in the NBA). To me, Blake is the perfect star to pair with Westbrook and Casey will be the best coach he’s ever had.

Poor Russ. That's very sad, if true.
Regardless, Casey imposes very little discipline or structure on the offense. Russell needs heavy doses of both if he's ever going to become a winning player. Not a good fit.

Westbrook needs a Larry Brown but there aren't any coaches like him. I think Casey can hone in on Westbrook's defensive abilities knowing he doesn't have to try as hard on rebounding with Drummond on the team. Westbrook averages a triple double, if you allow him to rebound less which means run ahead of the defense then you become a faster team specially him being a freight train charging. It's all about how to get Westbrook to buy in the concept that Drummond has got all the rebounds and he just needs to focus on shooting and playmaking. Rebounding less would allow him to save energy in his legs which throws his shot off. We need to trade for Westbrook. We just can't give up Kennard or doumbouya for him. At most 2 frps protected

"If you allow him to rebound less...."

Allow him to rebound less? As if he'd feel relieved by this notion? As if cherry-picking boards to ensure he maintains a triple-double average is something he'd rather not do? Come on, man. Be real. He's Mr. triple-double. It has become his identity as a player. You're never going to sell Russ on losing his triple doubles. Especially on a team that's not contending for a title anyway.

And I disagree with your premise that Westbrook's negatives as a player stem from spending too much energy on rebounding. Energy is not his problem. He's an individual player more than a team-oriented player. That has nothing to do with being tired. Neither does poor decision making and shot selection. You seem willing to accept his high usage, low IQ play and poor shot selection as long as more of the shots go in. Even if more of them do, and a higher seed is achieved as a result, the negatives will surface in the playoffs. Then we'll have just a lower draft pick to show for it.

[bstein14]

Adding that much salary beyond what Blake is getting the next two years is an incredible risk. A risk that might be worth taking it the asking price is really low, but certainly not a risk worth taking if we are also having to mortgage the future.

[DBC10]

Adding that much salary beyond what Blake is getting the next two years is an incredible risk. A risk that might be worth taking it the asking price is really low, but certainly not a risk worth taking if we are also having to mortgage the future.

Yep, this is where things should stand. If we must make the trade happen (and a coked up Gores is the wildcard), then only for expirings. Mortgaging our future with the potential that both BG and Dre might not be here in two years while a 33 year old Russ is the only one left standing with 45+ million is pretty damn dystopic.

Look at it this way, this is the highest that OKC will ever get for Russ right now, time is not on their side. And if they can only muster up some expirings and maybe a pick as the main haul in assets, then what does that spell for the future?

[Moses ShamMoses]

Pistons would be wise to be patient and see if OKC gets desperate to move him in the near future. If some other team wants to overpay so be it.

[kellmellus50]

The wrong side of 30? Malcontent ball hog? Huh? Who would have known that Westbrook had so many people that disliked him. In addition, folks act like 30yrs old is ancient. Lol, this is crazy!

He's averaging the worst percentages of his career in FG% 3PT% and FT. If nearly every category is down besides the triple doubles, then that easily classifies as a decline. No team needs a ball dominant (31% usage) point guard shooting those numbers. The fit isn't there with Blake and it relegates Dre to a role he's never really played, which is boxing out to let Russ get his.

That's not even mentioning how overpaid he is thanks to his supermax. It'd be a way easy sell if it was just a straight max for a declining former MVP two years ago. But it's not, expecting him to play like he did two years ago is also unrealistic.

31 years old in November ,he's not getting any younger.

[kpt]

Will this actually work? We have a ball dominant point forward and Westbrook is a ball dominant PG. Dre will want to get his so he will force some ill advised shots and we don’t exactly have shooters on our team to spread the floor. I just don’t see a fit with Blake and Westbrook because they are both ball dominant players at this point.

[thesack12]

Will this actually work? We have a ball dominant point forward and Westbrook is a ball dominant PG. Dre will want to get his so he will force some ill advised shots and we don’t exactly have shooters on our team to spread the floor. I just don’t see a fit with Blake and Westbrook because they are both ball dominant players at this point.

Blake wasn't ball dominant in LA. Paul was the primary ball handler/facilitator for those teams.

Blake morphed into being more ball dominant in Detroit due to necessity. There is a dearth of offensive talent and playmaking ability around him here. I'm sure Blake would welcome the opportunity to play off ball more, thus reducing his load and wear/tear.

Of course that does nothing to alleviate the other problems that would come with Russ on board.