2017 OKC Thunder Trade Discussion

[Kizz Fastfists]

Also, my OKC salary calculator is updated. If you want to play with it, the 2017 offseason and 2018 offseason max calculators should be correct, and all cap holds are up to date through 2020 except for Russ—I haven't done the math on what his extension would be.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P7fjUIXc6-Tf2jxLdk6oht_fjaYQ0APgL5afC42fztg/edit?usp=sharing

I've been ignoring it, but if Russ were to sign a designated player contract wouldn't his salary jump to $36M next year? That would be an extra $8M on the books and have OKC over the cap by doing nothing but using their draft pick and signing vet minimum guys to fill the roster. That means letting Roberson and Taj both walk. So OKC would then have to dump salary just to avoid the tax with no chance of replacing the players they would lose. I'm assuming Roberson, Taj and Dipo would be gone.

[Andre Roberstan]

Also, my OKC salary calculator is updated. If you want to play with it, the 2017 offseason and 2018 offseason max calculators should be correct, and all cap holds are up to date through 2020 except for Russ—I haven't done the math on what his extension would be.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P7fjUIXc6-Tf2jxLdk6oht_fjaYQ0APgL5afC42fztg/edit?usp=sharing

I've been ignoring it, but if Russ were to sign a designated player contract wouldn't his salary jump to $36M next year? That would be an extra $8M on the books and have OKC over the cap by doing nothing but using their draft pick and signing vet minimum guys to fill the roster. That means letting Roberson and Taj both walk. So OKC would then have to dump salary just to avoid the tax with no chance of replacing the players they would lose. I'm assuming Roberson, Taj and Dipo would be gone.

I don't have all the details in my head, but I think you have to have cap space to do that renegotiate-and-extend. CBAFAQ isn't updated, sadly.

[Pillendreher]

I brewed up a Dipo for MKG/Lamb trade that puts us in safe territory for salary next year:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P7fjUIXc6-Tf2jxLdk6oht_fjaYQ0APgL5afC42fztg/edit?usp=sharing

Depth chart:

Westbrook/Abrines/MKG/Sabonis/Adams
Christon/Lamb/McDermott/Grant/Kanter
VET MIN OR ROOKIE/Hamilton/Singler/Huestis/Johnson

You let Robes, Nick and Taj walk. Look for a Kanter trade midseason if Johnson looks ready, deal Singler for scraps if the opportunity comes available. Next offseason you have to pay McBuckets and Grant, but if you deal Kanter you can probably keep at least one of the two. With Singler gone you might get both. If you find a Lamb destination, so much the better.

Just trade Russ now if you go down that route. Getting worse is not an option for this team.

[Pillendreher]

Right now the team has looked pretty decent without Vic and a team like Minnesota would like a guy like him.

The team has also played the Lakers, the Pelicans and the Jazz. Our defense has been meh and our offense has been kinda funky as well.

This team needs Oladipo. He's clearly one of the best players on this team.

Don't go down this road. It only leads to disaster.

[Andre Roberstan]

I brewed up a Dipo for MKG/Lamb trade that puts us in safe territory for salary next year:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P7fjUIXc6-Tf2jxLdk6oht_fjaYQ0APgL5afC42fztg/edit?usp=sharing

Depth chart:

Westbrook/Abrines/MKG/Sabonis/Adams
Christon/Lamb/McDermott/Grant/Kanter
VET MIN OR ROOKIE/Hamilton/Singler/Huestis/Johnson

You let Robes, Nick and Taj walk. Look for a Kanter trade midseason if Johnson looks ready, deal Singler for scraps if the opportunity comes available. Next offseason you have to pay McBuckets and Grant, but if you deal Kanter you can probably keep at least one of the two. With Singler gone you might get both. If you find a Lamb destination, so much the better.

Just trade Russ now if you go down that route. Getting worse is not an option for this team.

I don't actually think that team would be worse.

[Pillendreher]

I brewed up a Dipo for MKG/Lamb trade that puts us in safe territory for salary next year:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P7fjUIXc6-Tf2jxLdk6oht_fjaYQ0APgL5afC42fztg/edit?usp=sharing

Depth chart:

Westbrook/Abrines/MKG/Sabonis/Adams
Christon/Lamb/McDermott/Grant/Kanter
VET MIN OR ROOKIE/Hamilton/Singler/Huestis/Johnson

You let Robes, Nick and Taj walk. Look for a Kanter trade midseason if Johnson looks ready, deal Singler for scraps if the opportunity comes available. Next offseason you have to pay McBuckets and Grant, but if you deal Kanter you can probably keep at least one of the two. With Singler gone you might get both. If you find a Lamb destination, so much the better.

Just trade Russ now if you go down that route. Getting worse is not an option for this team.

I don't actually think that team would be worse.

It is. We need to improve with what we have, not get worse in the process. I mean it's pretty obvious that this is not a viable option with Russ at all. I even would call it unbecoming. He deserves way more than this. You do your best to give it to him, not cheap out and get worse year after year.

[Andre Roberstan]

Just trade Russ now if you go down that route. Getting worse is not an option for this team.

I don't actually think that team would be worse.

It is. We need to improve with what we have, not get worse in the process. I mean it's pretty obvious that this is not a viable option with Russ at all. I even would call it unbecoming. He deserves way more than this. You do your best to give it to him, not cheap out and get worse year after year.

If you can come up with an option that both nets us much more talent and allows us to not plow through the tax line like the bus from Speed, I'm all ears.

[Pillendreher]

I don't actually think that team would be worse.

It is. We need to improve with what we have, not get worse in the process. I mean it's pretty obvious that this is not a viable option with Russ at all. I even would call it unbecoming. He deserves way more than this. You do your best to give it to him, not cheap out and get worse year after year.

If you can come up with an option that both nets us much more talent and allows us to not plow through the tax line like the bus from Speed, I'm all ears.

You get rid of Kanter and pay whatever's necessary. If we're going to go down this road one year into this Russ experiment, we might as well cancel it before we waste any more of his prime. He doesn't deserve this.

[Andre Roberstan]

It is. We need to improve with what we have, not get worse in the process. I mean it's pretty obvious that this is not a viable option with Russ at all. I even would call it unbecoming. He deserves way more than this. You do your best to give it to him, not cheap out and get worse year after year.

If you can come up with an option that both nets us much more talent and allows us to not plow through the tax line like the bus from Speed, I'm all ears.

You get rid of Kanter and pay whatever's necessary. If we're going to go down this road one year into this Russ experiment, we might as well cancel it before we waste any more of his prime. He doesn't deserve this.

I did look into a road where OKC traded Kanter for Koufos or one of SAC's rookie bigs. The money works for next year. Year after gets pretty tricky, though.

Are you convinced that Dipo's the right fit next to Russ, though? Cause I by no means am.

EDIT: I have Kanter for Koufos and Kanter for Papagiannis trades here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P7fjUIXc6-Tf2jxLdk6oht_fjaYQ0APgL5afC42fztg/edit?usp=sharing

[Pillendreher]

Are you convinced that Dipo's the right fit next to Russ, though? Cause I by no means am.

The perfect fit? No. (Way) better than anything we'd get back? Certainly. There's close to no way we'd win a Oladipo trade, especially with the incentive to dump salary.

[spearsy23]

Are you convinced that Dipo's the right fit next to Russ, though? Cause I by no means am.

The perfect fit? No. (Way) better than anything we'd get back? Certainly. There's close to no way we'd win a Oladipo trade, especially with the incentive to dump salary.

Oladipo just isn't that good, his production has been extremely meh. Trade him for Wilson chandler and you lose nothing.

[bondom34]

I agree with Pille here, but just a random one, would Miami consider VO for Tyler Johnson and McBob? Still another young guy, and they dump some bad salary, and it doesn't downgrade too much (though I admit I like TJ a lot).

[spearsy23]

I agree with Pille here, but just a random one, would Miami consider VO for Tyler Johnson and McBob? Still another young guy, and they dump some bad salary, and it doesn't downgrade too much (though I admit I like TJ a lot).

They'd do it in a heartbeat. There's no way I'd take on mcbob in that deal.

[Andre Roberstan]

I agree with Pille here, but just a random one, would Miami consider VO for Tyler Johnson and McBob? Still another young guy, and they dump some bad salary, and it doesn't downgrade too much (though I admit I like TJ a lot).

They'd do it in a heartbeat. There's no way I'd take on mcbob in that deal.

$6 mil expiring? I'd take that.

[Pillendreher]

Are you convinced that Dipo's the right fit next to Russ, though? Cause I by no means am.

The perfect fit? No. (Way) better than anything we'd get back? Certainly. There's close to no way we'd win a Oladipo trade, especially with the incentive to dump salary.

Oladipo just isn't that good, his production has been extremely meh. Trade him for Wilson chandler and you lose nothing.

Wilson Chandler is a very mediocre player already past his 'prime' whereas Oladipo is gonna turn 25 this year. Hell, you're making my point for me by saying he hasn't been that great. I agree - he has underperformed. That's why you bank oh his development and potential.

[spearsy23]

What has Oladipo provided offensively outside of middling scoring on both volume and efficiency? He's an okay defender, nothing spectacular on that end. Trade him for a guy like THJ and whatever you lose in him as a better player you make up for with increased spacing for Russ. Break him into a shooter and a rookie scale pg and the team is probably better.

[bondom34]

I agree with Pille here, but just a random one, would Miami consider VO for Tyler Johnson and McBob? Still another young guy, and they dump some bad salary, and it doesn't downgrade too much (though I admit I like TJ a lot).

They'd do it in a heartbeat. There's no way I'd take on mcbob in that deal.

$6 mil expiring? I'd take that.

Yeah and TJ only makes a little under 6. Was tempted to post on the trade board, but no clue how Miami values TJ.

[ThunderBolt]

Look at oladipos stats. He isn't getting any better. He's the same guy he's been the last two years. I would be less surprised if he regressed than if he improved. There isn't anyone else on this team besides Russ that should ever outscore him. He playing alongside Russ and still can't score 20 a game. I'm all for trading him for a prospect because I think other guys can replace his inconsistent production. I would also be for trading him and Sabonis for a guy like Mccolum if that deal could be pulled off.

[spearsy23]

The perfect fit? No. (Way) better than anything we'd get back? Certainly. There's close to no way we'd win a Oladipo trade, especially with the incentive to dump salary.

Oladipo just isn't that good, his production has been extremely meh. Trade him for Wilson chandler and you lose nothing.

Wilson Chandler is a very mediocre player already past his 'prime' whereas Oladipo is gonna turn 25 this year. Hell, you're making my point for me by saying he hasn't been that great. I agree - he has underperformed. That's why you bank oh his development and potential.

He hasn't been very good and that's your reasoning for keeping him? That's why you trade him for a better fit that's cheaper.

[spearsy23]

They'd do it in a heartbeat. There's no way I'd take on mcbob in that deal.

$6 mil expiring? I'd take that.

Yeah and TJ only makes a little under 6. Was tempted to post on the trade board, but no clue how Miami values TJ.

I didn't realize Johnson's contract was structured like that, I thought he was making like 16 per year. Yeah, I'd do that.