Author Topic: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook  (Read 12560 times)

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Offline rondofan1255

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Quote from: ESPN
Sources: Westbrook talking next steps with OKC

Oklahoma City's All-Star guard Russell Westbrook and his agent, Thad Foucher, are engaged with Thunder GM Sam Presti about the next steps of Westbrook's career, including the possibility of a trade prior to the start of next season, league sources told ESPN.

The two sides have 11 years of history together and both understand that the time has likely come to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook, league sources tell ESPN.

In the aftermath of All-Star Paul George pushing the Thunder to trade him to the LA Clippers to partner with free agent Kawhi Leonard, the Thunder's window to advance in the playoffs has seemingly closed. The Clippers' return to OKC of five future first-round picks, two pick swaps and All-Rookie point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander marks the beginning of the reshaping of the Thunder's roster.

The remaining four years and $170 million on Westbrook's contract is no longer sensible for a noncontender.

For the Thunder, this marks the first look at a possible franchise reset since the team moved to Oklahoma City from Seattle, with Westbrook, 30, the final player remaining from the original team that relocated.

Westbrook was faced with a similar situation in 2016 in the wake of Kevin Durant's departure to the Golden State Warriors, but after weighing options elected to renegotiate his contract and sign an extension with the Thunder. The Thunder used that agreement as a springboard to extending their window, trading for George the following summer as Westbrook signed a five-year supermax extension to become the highest-paid player in NBA history at the time. Circumstances are different in a few significant ways now, though, with Westbrook's age, current contract and position of the Thunder.

The Thunder could conceivably rework the roster to try to remain competitive around Westbrook and Steven Adams, though that scenario is unlikely. Operating well over the salary cap with a projected salary tax payment of $43 million with the existing roster, the Thunder were in cost-cutting mode before George's trade and will only accelerate on that front now.

Westbrook has had three consecutive seasons of averaging triple doubles and was voted the NBA's MVP in the 2017 season.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27133948/sources-westbrook-talking-next-steps-okc
« Last Edit: July 06, 2019, 04:39:47 PM by rondofan1255 »

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2019, 04:36:55 PM »

Offline rondofan1255

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Been made clear to us this afternoon that Heat officials absolutely like Westbrook. We'll see where it leads, if anywhere

https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz/status/1147595576315437069

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2019, 04:39:03 PM »

Offline saltlover

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Been made clear to us this afternoon that Heat officials absolutely like Westbrook. We'll see where it leads, if anywhere

https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz/status/1147595576315437069

That would be some work fitting Westbrook’s deal into a hard-capped team already right near the limit.

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2019, 04:45:52 PM »

Offline Bobshot

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Miami is the first team you would think of for Westbrook. I said that in another thread a couple of hours ago.

But Riley would have to jump through a few hoops to get get him. He's hard capped and has given up his trade chips for Butler.

The thing is these guys always seem to get what they want. They just dump enough players, give up draft picks, and the next thing you know, they have Westbrook and Butler. You just have to value a star enough to destroy your depth.

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2019, 04:47:41 PM »

Offline Celts Fan 508

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Quote
Been made clear to us this afternoon that Heat officials absolutely like Westbrook. We'll see where it leads, if anywhere

https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz/status/1147595576315437069

That would be some work fitting Westbrook’s deal into a hard-capped team already right near the limit.

Dragic, KO, and Bam fit for salary cap, and whatever picks Miami sends to OKC.
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Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2019, 04:50:59 PM »

Offline BringToughnessBack

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Could see Knicks trying hard to get him. Heat make a ton of sense as well but salary is an issue. Hope he stays on West though.

Could Sixers be bold enough to try and make a big trade and could they with their salary.

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2019, 04:58:47 PM »

Offline DefenseWinsChamps

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The Heat could offer Dragic and Winslow, plus picks. That not only lowers the salary and luxury tax this year, but Dragic is also an expiring that could be traded to another team looking for a piece.

For example
Dallas receives Dragic
OKC receives Bam, Winslow, Lee, and Leonard
Heat receive Adams and Westbrook

The salaries are off a bit here but they are close. Obviously, the Thunder would need some picks too.

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2019, 05:07:02 PM »

Offline tazzmaniac

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Quote
Been made clear to us this afternoon that Heat officials absolutely like Westbrook. We'll see where it leads, if anywhere

https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz/status/1147595576315437069

That would be some work fitting Westbrook’s deal into a hard-capped team already right near the limit.

Dragic, KO, and Bam fit for salary cap, and whatever picks Miami sends to OKC.
Looks like that's still 3M short of Westbrook's salary plus it frees up two roster spot.  Per Bobby Marks after stretching Ryan Anderson, Miami is 1.8M below the luxury tax apron.  So your proposed salary match isn't close enough.  Also OKC won't want to take back all that salary.  They'll want to get below the tax line and I think they're ~15M above it.  The final problem with trading with Miami is they don't have picks to trade.  OKC already has Miami's 2021 unprotected and 2023 protected firsts. 

The better team to trade with would be the Knicks.   OKC could get Knicks and Mavs 1sts.   That would give them LAC, Miami, Knicks and Mavs 1sts to rebuild with. 

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2019, 05:07:13 PM »

Offline celticsclay

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Westbrook and butler would be hilarious in Miami

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2019, 05:43:21 PM »

Offline SparzWizard

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The East is going to be a bloodbath next year if Westbrook to MIA comes into fruition.

PHI = Simmons/Horford/Embiid
MIL = Giannis/Middleton/Lopez
BOS = Walker/Tatum/Hayward
BKN = Irving/Durant/Jordan
IND = Brogdon/Sabonis/McConnell
MIA = Butler/Westbrook

Can't sleep on Orlando either.


#JTJB (Just Trade Jaylen Brown)
#JFJM (Just Fire Joe Mazzulla)

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2019, 06:13:52 PM »

Offline johnnygreen

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Is New York under the cap enough, where they don't need to match salary in a trade? Couldn't they offer Dennis Smith Jr and picks for Westbrook?

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2019, 06:21:07 PM »

Offline Celts Fan 508

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Is New York under the cap enough, where they don't need to match salary in a trade? Couldn't they offer Dennis Smith Jr and picks for Westbrook?

I believe this trade would put them over the limit so they could not do this.  NY would need to unload more salary.
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Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2019, 06:31:02 PM »

Offline action781

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Westbrook for Dragic + Ryan Anderson works.  Both Dragic and Anderson only have 1 year left on their deals.
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Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #13 on: July 06, 2019, 06:50:53 PM »

Offline saltlover

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Westbrook for Dragic + Ryan Anderson works.  Both Dragic and Anderson only have 1 year left on their deals.

No, it doesn’t because of the hard cap.  It’s not just about matching salaries per trade rules.  Anderson has to be stretched just to get the Heat under the hard cap for their Butler S&T.  If they send out multiple players for Westbrook (required because Westbrook makes so much) they have to send out MORE than Westbrook makes.  And OKC is so over the tax line, they’ll need extra compensation to take on more salary than they’re sending out.

And Miami already traded a pick to the Clippers for Harkless that pretty much blocks them from trading any more 1sts.  They’re also out of seconds, except a partially protected one in 2024 and one in 2022 coming from Philly or Denver.

I can’t see how Westbrook gets to Miami.  They can offer Bam and Tyler Herro as young assets, and have a lot of difficult to move salaries.

Re: Rumor: OKC likely to explore trade possibilities for Westbrook
« Reply #14 on: July 06, 2019, 06:59:33 PM »

Offline jambr380

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It sure would have been a lot easier for a team like the Knicks before they signed all of those contracts. Maybe they would have still signed Randle, but: Portis, Bullock, Gibson, Ellington, and Payton make up over $50M in contracts they now have to pay this season and beyond. Granted, they are all on team options after this year (not Randle) and the Knicks aren't held to the restrictions of the hard cap, but it's not like they are allowed to trade any of those players now.