Thunder to keep in mind trading Russell Westbrook, in step with document; warmness, Magic among 3 groups that might make experience
The Thunder were given a big haul of destiny draft selections from the Clippers in return for George. Additionally they got Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is truly their future plan at point guard. This is not a team anywhere near a championship window, and as such, having nearly $a hundred twenty five million committed to Westbrook over the subsequent 3 seasons, plus a $47 million participant choice in 2022 for a fourth season, does not make a ton of sense.
The question is: how many teams could be interested in adding Westbrook at that charge? And of those groups, how many have a package to offer that would even pique OKC's hobby? Here are three deals that might make feel at first glance.
1. Miami warmth
the warmth may want to offer the Thunder Bam Adebayo, Justise Winslow, this yr's No. 13 general select Tyler Herro and both Goran Dragic or Ryan Anderson's expiring deal to make the cash paintings. This is three without a doubt precise younger gamers to feature to the trove of draft alternatives the Thunder just received, and from Miami's viewpoint, you pair up Westbrook and Jimmy Butler in a suddenly extensive-open jap convention with Kawhi long gone to the West.
The heat have been lingering in no-guy's land for years. They sooner or later just were given off the Hassan Whiteside settlement, and either Anderson or Dragic (whichever one they didn't move in this hypothetical deal) comes off the books next summer time. James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk have participant options, and at least with Olynyk there is a actual hazard he declines that to pursue an extended-term deal. Johnson would at the least be tradeable on an expiring deal.
The point is, the warmth could have some flexibility to add a 3rd celebrity to Butler and Westbrook in 2020 and truly make a announcement in the East. The warmth are simply popping out of salary-cap hell, and adding Westbrook is virtually risky. However he and Butler collectively would seem to healthy Pat Riley's star-participant goals and Miami's tough-nosed subculture.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves could send OKC a bundle focused on Andrew Wiggins, with perhaps Jeff Teague on an expiring deal because the salary filler. Minnesota would probably be hesitant to encompass Josh Okogie, however they could do it and pass forward with a core of Karl Anthony-towns, Westbrook, Robert Covington and this yr's first-round choose, Jarrett Culver. You may talk your self into that being a playoff team, and possibly extra than that if cities and Westbrook click on and Culver pops the manner many humans suppose he can. You could additionally say Minnesota would be better off watching for D'Angelo Russell potentially coming to be had, or possibly Kyle Lowry now that Kawhi has left Toronto.
For OKC, sure, Wiggins is a massive overpay at this factor, and if you're getting off Westbrook's deal, you are probably now not trying to add some other, possibly even worse salary anchor. But you are nonetheless selling yourself on Wiggins' upside to perhaps pop late in something of a Victor Oladipo style (idea Oladipo turned into higher in his early years than Wiggins has been). You have got years at the least for Wiggins to parent it out, as the timeline is slowed down and the future draft selections gained within the George trade are something of a 5-yr plan.
This isn't always a really appealing deal for OKC on paper, but again, the marketplace for Westbrook in all likelihood is not going to be pink hot.
3. Orlando Magic
There are a couple ways Orlando, which remains in need of an effect factor guard, ought to cross approximately this. The primary package deal might encompass Aaron Gordon, in conjunction with Markelle Fultz and D.J. Augustin. The Thunder get Gordon, who's locked up for the subsequent three years on a quite crew-pleasant deal at a median annual profits of about $19 million, and take a shot on Fultz. If he by some means comes out of his funk and rediscovers his game, the Thunder win huge. If no longer, the Thunder have delivered Gordon and cleared their books of Fultz and Augustin by way of subsequent summer.
The other avenue would be for Orlando to dangle onto Gordon and put Evan Fournier in the deal to make the money paintings. To lure OKC to just accept a package with out Gordon, the Magic add Mo Bamba to the deal and perhaps a destiny draft pick. Now the Thunder are taking a shot on Fultz, and that they get Bamba on a rookie deal with the internal song to re-signing him long-term on a agenda that suits with all those destiny draft selections they just got for George.
Preserving Gordon might be the more appealing provide for Orlando, which might flow forward with Westbrook, Gordon, freshly re-signed Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross, and Jonathan Issac, who has a ton of capability and makes losing Bamba -- a fairly redundant participant -- plenty palatable. It's a quite darn excellent team inside the East, and they are all locked up for at the least 3 more years.
1. Miami warmth
the warmth may want to offer the Thunder Bam Adebayo, Justise Winslow, this yr's No. 13 general select Tyler Herro and both Goran Dragic or Ryan Anderson's expiring deal to make the cash paintings. This is three without a doubt precise younger gamers to feature to the trove of draft alternatives the Thunder just received, and from Miami's viewpoint, you pair up Westbrook and Jimmy Butler in a suddenly extensive-open jap convention with Kawhi long gone to the West.
The heat have been lingering in no-guy's land for years. They sooner or later just were given off the Hassan Whiteside settlement, and either Anderson or Dragic (whichever one they didn't move in this hypothetical deal) comes off the books next summer time. James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk have participant options, and at least with Olynyk there is a actual hazard he declines that to pursue an extended-term deal. Johnson would at the least be tradeable on an expiring deal.
The point is, the warmth could have some flexibility to add a 3rd celebrity to Butler and Westbrook in 2020 and truly make a announcement in the East. The warmth are simply popping out of salary-cap hell, and adding Westbrook is virtually risky. However he and Butler collectively would seem to healthy Pat Riley's star-participant goals and Miami's tough-nosed subculture.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves could send OKC a bundle focused on Andrew Wiggins, with perhaps Jeff Teague on an expiring deal because the salary filler. Minnesota would probably be hesitant to encompass Josh Okogie, however they could do it and pass forward with a core of Karl Anthony-towns, Westbrook, Robert Covington and this yr's first-round choose, Jarrett Culver. You may talk your self into that being a playoff team, and possibly extra than that if cities and Westbrook click on and Culver pops the manner many humans suppose he can. You could additionally say Minnesota would be better off watching for D'Angelo Russell potentially coming to be had, or possibly Kyle Lowry now that Kawhi has left Toronto.
For OKC, sure, Wiggins is a massive overpay at this factor, and if you're getting off Westbrook's deal, you are probably now not trying to add some other, possibly even worse salary anchor. But you are nonetheless selling yourself on Wiggins' upside to perhaps pop late in something of a Victor Oladipo style (idea Oladipo turned into higher in his early years than Wiggins has been). You have got years at the least for Wiggins to parent it out, as the timeline is slowed down and the future draft selections gained within the George trade are something of a 5-yr plan.
This isn't always a really appealing deal for OKC on paper, but again, the marketplace for Westbrook in all likelihood is not going to be pink hot.
3. Orlando Magic
There are a couple ways Orlando, which remains in need of an effect factor guard, ought to cross approximately this. The primary package deal might encompass Aaron Gordon, in conjunction with Markelle Fultz and D.J. Augustin. The Thunder get Gordon, who's locked up for the subsequent three years on a quite crew-pleasant deal at a median annual profits of about $19 million, and take a shot on Fultz. If he by some means comes out of his funk and rediscovers his game, the Thunder win huge. If no longer, the Thunder have delivered Gordon and cleared their books of Fultz and Augustin by way of subsequent summer.
The other avenue would be for Orlando to dangle onto Gordon and put Evan Fournier in the deal to make the money paintings. To lure OKC to just accept a package with out Gordon, the Magic add Mo Bamba to the deal and perhaps a destiny draft pick. Now the Thunder are taking a shot on Fultz, and that they get Bamba on a rookie deal with the internal song to re-signing him long-term on a agenda that suits with all those destiny draft selections they just got for George.
Preserving Gordon might be the more appealing provide for Orlando, which might flow forward with Westbrook, Gordon, freshly re-signed Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross, and Jonathan Issac, who has a ton of capability and makes losing Bamba -- a fairly redundant participant -- plenty palatable. It's a quite darn excellent team inside the East, and they are all locked up for at the least 3 more years.