Daily Thunder.com

@gr8ball83
I personally like Green myself, but some people say that the Thunder might not want to pay the price that he might demand on the market during FA, and this would be an opportunity of sorts to get something back for him, while not destroying our team by giving up a huge amount of necessary on the court resources. Not to mention if the Clippers manage to get a decent piece out of the draft this year, that pick next year might not be nearly as valuable as some people might think, so trading it now at least gives it some value. Granted it's the clippers so it could just as easily be the #1 pick as them making the playoffs next year.

@justin
Well let's take a look at the Pacers since that is the team currently in question. There are lots of trade rumors flying around saying they're going to trade Granger anyway (thus having Green play the same position isn't as big of a deal). The use of pick(s) gives them cheap young talented players which will help them build their core. How many FA's are really going to sign in Indy even with the 30mil in expiring contracts that they have to go pursue a FA? So having a young RFA like Green gives them someone that they can use some of that cap space on, instead of just wasting it and not getting anything in return. We all assume Mullens or Aldridge aren't that great because of how they play in limited minutes on our team, but a team like Indy would have all kinds of time to throw at them to really see what they have since they aren't really competing for this year. So for a team like the Pacers trading a Center and potentially some other contracts to get back another young center, a RFA in Green that you have the cap space to sign and gives you the flexibility when making a Granger trade, plus the pick or multiple picks that in addition to your own teams picks isn't exactly a horrible offer. How many other teams are going to offer something better than that?

@prye05
I agree theoretically it could happen, I just would rather keep Green than trade him for Hibbert, but, that's just my opinion and I'm not the GM!

I don't think Green / Pick(s) / Young Center constitutes a god father offer, unless the team trading for that package is absolutely, positively in love with Jeff Green and desires to re-sign him in the offseason. I'm not sure how many teams, if any, you could say that for.

@gr8ball83
But what are the Thunder willing to trade. Obviously, in every trade there is the issue of value, but seeing how at least according to the article the Thunder have an amount of assets that they could trade without really hurting what they have on the court and in the future, so giving up a few pieces to bring in a center that could really help this team at least to me would seem to be something the Thunder were willing to do. The reason I listed the Pacers and the Wizards are those are two teams with young centers who aren't necessarily the face of those franchises, and both teams are in re-building mode, so giving them some pieces that are young, and can help them re-build faster would be ideal for them. Plus for all the people on this forum that seemingly hate Jeff Green here is an opportunity to trade him and get back a starting center.

Obviously there are other smaller deals like trading with Sac for Dalembert or Det for Ben Wallace that could be done. But the article in the original post, was talking about a "Godfather Offer" and so I was seeing what we could come up with, and think that a Green/Pick(s)/Young Center for someone like Hibbert could happen, or at least wouldn't be instantly dismissed.

@justin
Okay, well that makes me feel better.

@prye05
I don't know that there is a center that would help us that is available for anything that the Thunder is willing to trade.

@justin
Did you read the original article listed up above?

@prye05

How is that a 'Godfather Offer'? Green will have to be paid, and plays the same position as their best player. Makes no sense. Mullens is worthless, Aldrich is becoming worthless (in a trade).

@gr8ball83
Then find another player around the league who teams would actually be willing to trade that would actually help our team and that we wouldn't be giving up Ibaka, Durant, Westbrook, etc.

TempBoy Brandon :
thanks guys, that really helps me a lot. I’ve honestly not wanted to look into learning the NBA salary cap because it seems so complicated and muddy. But you guys explained it well. Muchas gracias. It still doesn’t make any sense to me that the Lakers can presumably trot out Kobe, Carmelo, Gasol, Fisher, Artest and Odom, and we can’t afford anything more right now (I know Collison’s deal was loaded for this year, but still).

I think your misconception her eis that OKC can't afford anything more right now. OKC is 25th in the league in total salary, and there's about a $14 million gap between where OKC is at and the luxury tax threshold. Don't buy into the Darnell Mayberry slop that OKC can't add another piece and still re-sign Russell Westbrook...

@prye05
ugh, no Hibbert :)

justin :
Pacers probably wouldn’t take anything on the Thunder for Hibbert, though. They like him.

I don't think the Pacers would trade Hibbert for Green, but that goes back to my point of if the Thunder were to make a "Godfather Offer" like mentioned in the article, what could we actually get. Personally, I think something like Green, the Clippers pick, Mullens or Aldridge, and some expirings for Hibbert and Posey (who has a 2 yr 7mil a year contract). This makes it so that the starting line-up would be Westbrook, Thabo/Harden, Durant, Ibaka, Hibbert, with Maynor, Thabo/Harden, Posey, Collison, Kristic/Aldridge/Mullens on the bench. I think this is a situation in which we wouldn't be giving up THAT much and get a piece that helps us line up down low with the playoff contenders. The Pacers get a few young pieces in Green and Mullens/Aldridge, clear some more contracts for the summer which helps them out in their rebuild process.

thanks guys, that really helps me a lot. I've honestly not wanted to look into learning the NBA salary cap because it seems so complicated and muddy. But you guys explained it well. Muchas gracias. It still doesn't make any sense to me that the Lakers can presumably trot out Kobe, Carmelo, Gasol, Fisher, Artest and Odom, and we can't afford anything more right now (I know Collison's deal was loaded for this year, but still).

Seems like it would make sense for a team like the Lakers to just go as far over the cap as it can afford this year, as I don't really see the NBA retroactively punishing them for doing so. They could trade for Carmelo, sign him to an extension, and be set for the twilight years of Kobe's career. It's only money to them.

I would think teams are eventually going to have to (for the most part) get under a tighter salary cap going forward. So the Lakers would be at an advantage with their huge payroll while the teams over the cap with expirings are getting nothing in return. Seems like teams should be focused on going way over or staying under the cap this year. Middling around just sets you up for tough sledding in the next few years.

All subject to change depending how the CBA is structured.

@justin
Or they make money like the Lakers do

UFA's from other teams, I mean.

TempBoy Brandon :@justin

That’s messed up. Basically, what I understand then is that there is a competitive edge if you are a team in LA, New York, Miami, Chicago, etc.? They can sign as many top flight guys as they want, but a team like the Thunder or Grizzlies wouldn’t be able to. Correct?

The salary cap prevents them from signing unrestricted free agents while they are above the salary cap, but there are way around that. The luxury tax is prohibitive, though. Most teams won't go there unless there's an expectation for the conference finals or higher.

@TempBoy Brandon
If you are already over the salary cap, you can still trade dollar for dollar as long as you don't take on more than 125% of what you already had. So, since the Lakers are way over the salary cap and luxury tax, as long as they trade matching salaries (within 25%), you can trade whatever you want. So, the Lakers can take on Melo by trading away Bynum's contract plus whatever it takes to make the numbers match.

For example, since OKC is right at the cap, we can't trade Jeff Green for Bynum straight up since Bynum's contract is more than Jeff Green's. However, we could trade Collison for Bynum since Nick is making 13m, or combine players to match Bynum's salary. That's what Denver and LA are presumably working on.

@justin
That's messed up. Basically, what I understand then is that there is a competitive edge if you are a team in LA, New York, Miami, Chicago, etc.? They can sign as many top flight guys as they want, but a team like the Thunder or Grizzlies wouldn't be able to. Correct?

Pacers probably wouldn't take anything on the Thunder for Hibbert, though. They like him.

I'd trade for Green for Hibbert in a microsecond.

It's a soft cap. There are exceptions, which include Bird Rights, where you can exceed the cap to re-sign your own free agents. The only true limiting factor in the NBA is the luxury tax, which is set this year at $70 million. So if the Lakers want to pay all those guys there's nothing stopping them but their wallet.

Presumably, OKC will not be a luxury tax team due to the small market size.

@Danny

@kfmsooner

I probably would trade Thabo for Hibbert. I wouldn't trade Green for Hibbert however, despite how unpopular Green is on this board, he just does what the coach asks him, and right now that's playing pwr forward, and lately he's been playing really well.

@TempBoy Brandon
Yeah I don't get it either. How could they re-sign Melo after this year?

I guess I just don't get the salary cap. How could the Lakers afford Kobe, Carmelo, Artest, Gasol, Fisher and Odom, all established stars, and we are worried about being able to afford KD, Russ, Green and Serge and knowing we can't bring on another "star" because of them? I know we are a small market team, but a salary cap is a salary cap. Makes no sense to me.

I would trade Thabo or Green for Hibbert.

In a heartbeat.

Seems like the Melo chatter has picked up today. Maybe something is finally close to getting done?

Hibbert's 24 already and he's really fallen off since the start of the year, offensively. And I don't think our coaching would utilize a player like him correctly, anyway.

@brentn31475
You wouldn't trade Thabo for Hibbert? I'd trade Thabo for Kyle Weaver...

@f5alcon
Agreed completely. I've thought for some time now that we need to find a way to better market in Kansas. We are their closest team, first off. They are basketball crazy. We have two legendary Jayhawks on our team. My ex-girlfriend lives in Wichita, and her and a group of fellow Jayhawks fans bought some tickets to a game this season cause they wanted to come see Cole and Nick play. If the Thunder marketed in Kansas, I think in many ways the Thunder could be to Kansas what the Dallas Cowboys are to Oklahoma.

@prye05
I was trying to send you my thoughts, I guess my ESPN isn't working today :)

@gr8ball83
Exactly. Or since that might make people think you are taking it personally you could say, And why do you think that? Please explain for those off us not privy to the thoughts in your brain.

@Sammy

Really? Ibaka? Harden? Green? Thabo? I wouldn't trade any of them for Hibbert. He wouldn't improve our team what so ever.

@justin
You’re right he’s SO much worse than anything we currently have available to us, and clearly has no potential, and would cost us SO much.

did I do it right prye05?

@TempBoy Brandon
they should work out syndication deals with kansas and missouri, that might help tv viewership, i am sure with collison and aldrich on the team KU fans would want to watch some games, maybe texas' new channel so they can watch durant in austin.

I'm not a fan of Hibbert.

@prye05

I haven't watched Hibbert play much. Going off the two games a year I see him play the Thunder isn't enough for me to give any sort of opinion. I could look up his stats, but I just hate to offer a stats only opinion.

When I first saw his game, he was a project. He's better than that now, but that's about all I feel safe to say. It's so hard to judge a player like that who plays for a losing team.

I would trade anyone on the team not named Durant or Westbrook straight up for Hibbert.

@gr8ball83
Yep that's clearly why I'm a Thunder fan.

@Stephen
And actually I didn't take it personally, but think whatever you want. His saying "not hibbert" isn't exactly a quality reason for why he shot down that idea. If he wants to provide some information as to why Hibbert wouldn't be a good fit i'm more than happy to listen, but to just blankly state oh that person sucks is a pretty crappy comment. And personal preference doesn't really help since we all have our own preferences so it helps when you have facts, or reasoning behind statements. But if that's taking something personally my bad for wanting reasoning as to why something i said is a bad idea.

@Stephen
He's Hibbert's brother maybe?

@Vince
Perfect. Thank ya, man. We have the 4th lowest audience on TV per game, BUT our market is so much smaller. I wanted to see where we ranked in market share per game, which is far more indicative of viewership. But they only have the Top 6 and Bottom 6 listed. Fortunately, we aren't in the Bottom 6.

Now that Ibaka is out for tonights game, will Aldrich finally get some PT?

Why do people get so defensive about their trade ideas if someone doesn't agree? It's not personal.

@brent
link doesn't have your trade

@gr8ball83
You're right he's SO much worse than anything we currently have available to us, and clearly has no potential, and would cost us SO much.

@prye05
Ugh, please no Hibbert

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine

This trade gives us the center we want/need and the thug version of Jeff Green to sit on the bench/replace him if we sit Nenad

innocent bystander :

anonymous :I’m glad they took away the HORSE competition. It was one of those things that sound good on paper, but terrible in real life.

but… it did result in this awesome pic:
KD beams in Dallas

At least KD will be the only horse champion in NBA history, at least i don't remember the event happening in the past.

Referring back to the "Godfather Offer" that OKC is capable of offering... assuming Griffin and Love are off the table, who are "actual" targets the Thunder could honestly target who could be game changers?

Personally, I think Hibbert from Indy could be a really good target with lots of potential to still grow, and Indy could use multiple pieces as they start the process of rebuilding. Javale McGee could be another potentially interesting target. Finally, I think depending on the blow-up schemes of Cleveland, Detroit, Toronto some post players could potentially be had a less than Godfather Offer.