The trade deadline came and went this afternoon and while half the league did some kind of maneuvering, the Thunder did not. Which was to be expected, but at the same time, kind of unexpected. I realize that makes no sense.
We’ve come to kind of expect that out of nowhere move from Sam Presti, the one that makes us slap the table and say, “Brilliant!” He pulled one off back in December, when he picked up Eric Maynor and Matt Harpring’s contract for literally nothing. And with Harpring’s contract and Etan Thomas’s expiring deal, most thought OKC would be a player at the deadline because of so many teams looking to dump salary. The Thunder has expiring contracts and expiring contracts have become gold bullion in the NBA. Read more…
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Trade Deadline
From Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix:
OKC not making any major moves before the deadline. Plan has been to grow young talent together. Surprise start not changing that … “Wouldn’t a Biedrins for Etan Thomas make sense though?” Mannix: Zero chance. OKC wants to see what it has in Ibaka, Krstic.
Kind of what we thought all along, but the disclaimer of “major moves” is there. So there is still chance we might see a bench player or few draft picks shuffled around.
UPDATE: John Hollinger, chatting on ESPN.com:
Sam Presti (OKC): Do you see me making any moves today? I was thinking I could maybe use Harpring and a pick to help someone get under the cap and get a better pick or a big in return.
John Hollinger: My spies in OKC think its highly unlikely they make a deal today unless they’re bowled over with an offer .. they’d prefer to keep that $1.8 mil in cap space for draft day, they might be able to combine their picks and move up or do some other interesting things.
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Trade Deadline
The trade deadline comes and goes tomorrow. Yeah, that’s right. And by and large, Oklahoma City hasn’t been involved in any rumors or trade whisperings. But that doesn’t mean nothing will happen. The Thunder has a bunch of great assets and I’m sure Sam Presti’s phone will ring at least a few times tomorrow morning. So just like last year, let’s rank the assets.
Not touchable, in an Elliot Ness kind of way
1. Kevin Durant. Obviously KD is on the top of the list and honestly, behind LeBron, he may be the most valuable asset in the league. (His upcoming contract extension is going to be a big part of this, but I’m almost convinced he gets his max offer and signs the next morning. Maybe I think that way because I’d dunk my head in lava if that didn’t happen.) But I’m about to make a bold statement: I get asked a lot if I would trade Durant for anyone straight up. My simple answer: Nope.
I know, I know… LeBron. But I wouldn’t. Maybe that would make me a bad GM, but I want Kevin Durant on my team over LeBron James. Mainly because my team is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant just works here. He fits the Oklahoma mindset, he fits with his teammates and he just worksas the cornerstone for this franchise. I get tired of people trying to compare things. LeBron or Kobe? Durant or LeBron? Kevin Ollie or Anthony Johnson? Players are different and they play differently. LeBron is the best basketball player on the planet, no doubt. I just don’t see how that’s debatable. But Durant fits within what OKC does and is and he’s not too shabby a basketball player either. Read more…
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Trade Deadline
Writing on TrueHoop, Chris Sheridan has some fun with the trade machine and comes up with two deals for OKC. Deal No. 1: James Harden, Matt Harpring’s contract, Etan Thomas and a couple first rounders to the Suns for Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, and Jarron Collins. And then No. 2: Nick Collison, Kyle Weaver and D.J. White to Washington for Mike James, Francisco Oberto, Nick Young and Earl Boykins.
So now OKC’s roster looks like this, assuming Kevin Ollie and Jarron Collins are bought out/waived:
C: Stoudemire, Nenad Krstic, Oberto
PF: Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka.
SF: Kevin Durant, Thabo Sefolosha
SG: Barbosa, Young, Boykins.
PG: Russell Westbrook, James, Eric Maynor
It’s definitely a nice looking roster. Amare on the inside is definitely big time. And there’s some offensive firepower and speed with Barbosa running between Westbrook and Durant. But here’s where it makes no sense: Thabo is playing behind KD and Barbosa is starting. This team has built an identity on the defensive end, and now two of the softer defensive players in the Western Conference are now starting for you. You lose James Harden, who has been the absolute perfect fit on the roster, ruin team chemistry and potentially tick off Kevin Durant. Read more…
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Trade Deadline
