Does Westbrook's extension change Doc's thinking about trading Griffin?

[Bobshot]

RealGM had a wiretap this morning (couldn't paste) saying Thunder will pursue Griffin in free agency. Not surprising now that Westbrook is extended, and Griffin is from Oklahoma.

The Westbrook extension might change Doc's thinking on trading Griffin now--if he thinks he can't re-sign him.  I don't know if this helps Ainge, since Doc might wind up trading him to OKC. Would Ainge risk trading for him without an extension?

Doc has a dilemma, if you add Paul's free agency to the mix. Possible domino effect here, which could leave Doc high and dry.

[CroCorvus]

Maybe, but I would skipp the Griffin train and go all out on Boogie. Griffin is already half-damaged goods with questionable leadership qualities. Let him join Westbrook in OKC so he can not win anything...

[Who]

Oh man, I would love to see B.Griffin leave the Clippers and return home to OKC.

Westbrook and Blake would be a lot of fun to watch.

[RJ87]

Maybe, but I would skipp the Griffin train and go all out on Boogie. Griffin is already half-damaged goods with questionable leadership qualities. Let him join Westbrook in OKC so he can not win anything...

Not to turn yet another thread into a  Boogie debate, but you think Blake has questionable leadership qualities and Boogie doesn't?

[saltlover]

I'm sure they'll pursue Griffin.  Maybe they'll be successful, although they will have to figure out some cap magic to have the room for him.

But the key thing is that the entire point of Ainge trading for Griffin, if you believe that there was ever anything to the story, was with the cap room to extend Griffin, so that he doesn't leave as a free agent.  Ainge isn't going to open his piggy bank for someone he thinks might leave.

At the same time, Doc has a very competitive team, and he's not trading Griffin for peanuts.  So there is still no agreement coming any time soon.  It's far better for the Clippers to keep making a run at it with this year's team, and figure out Griffin next year, than it is to trade him.  Doesn't matter if they lose him for nothing.

Now, if the Clippers are somehow around .500 in February, maybe things change.  But before the season, it would be stupid for Doc to trade Griffin for anything less than a great package in return.  And since there's no commitment Griffin will stay, it would be similarly stupid to offer a ton.

Just not happening, for like the 10000th time.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'm sure they'll pursue Griffin.  Maybe they'll be successful, although they will have to figure out some cap magic to have the room for him.

But the key thing is that the entire point of Ainge trading for Griffin, if you believe that there was ever anything to the story, was with the cap room to extend Griffin, so that he doesn't leave as a free agent.  Ainge isn't going to open his piggy bank for someone he thinks might leave.

At the same time, Doc has a very competitive team, and he's not trading Griffin for peanuts.  So there is still no agreement coming any time soon.  It's far better for the Clippers to keep making a run at it with this year's team, and figure out Griffin next year, than it is to trade him.  Doesn't matter if they lose him for nothing.

Now, if the Clippers are somehow around .500 in February, maybe things change.  But before the season, it would be stupid for Doc to trade Griffin for anything less than a great package in return.  And since there's no commitment Griffin will stay, it would be similarly stupid to offer a ton.

Just not happening, for like the 10000th time.

Why do you think OKC would need to do some cap magic? I see them having a lot of cap space next season.

Or are you talking in the context from a trade + extend angle?

[saltlover]

I'm sure they'll pursue Griffin.  Maybe they'll be successful, although they will have to figure out some cap magic to have the room for him.

But the key thing is that the entire point of Ainge trading for Griffin, if you believe that there was ever anything to the story, was with the cap room to extend Griffin, so that he doesn't leave as a free agent.  Ainge isn't going to open his piggy bank for someone he thinks might leave.

At the same time, Doc has a very competitive team, and he's not trading Griffin for peanuts.  So there is still no agreement coming any time soon.  It's far better for the Clippers to keep making a run at it with this year's team, and figure out Griffin next year, than it is to trade him.  Doesn't matter if they lose him for nothing.

Now, if the Clippers are somehow around .500 in February, maybe things change.  But before the season, it would be stupid for Doc to trade Griffin for anything less than a great package in return.  And since there's no commitment Griffin will stay, it would be similarly stupid to offer a ton.

Just not happening, for like the 10000th time.

Why do you think OKC would need to do some cap magic? I see them having a lot of cap space next season.

Or are you talking in the context from a trade + extend angle?

I'm assuming that they're not going to just let Oladipo and Adams walk, and thus they have cap holds of a combined $21 million.  Maybe that's an aggressive assumption, and they would let one or both go (not to mention Andre Roberson, who has a $5.5 million cap hold himself), but Presti would have a tough time letting the first two walk.  It wouldn't surprise me if either were extended this fall.

[CroCorvus]

Maybe, but I would skipp the Griffin train and go all out on Boogie. Griffin is already half-damaged goods with questionable leadership qualities. Let him join Westbrook in OKC so he can not win anything...

Not to turn yet another thread into a  Boogie debate, but you think Blake has questionable leadership qualities and Boogie doesn't?

No. Boogie had his share of questionable decisions (to put it mildly) but look at the teams he had to lead, look at the players he had to play with and most of all look at that whole franchise and the ownership and you can imagine what hes been through. I'm not saying he is finished product, I'm not saying he is flower and all, but it's hard to go through all of that if your care for winning like that guy.
BG has been in very different situation in LA. He's had several contender teams which reguraly undeperforms in playoffs with him as a main guy. He's very qualitiy individual player but he just doesn't care that much for winning. He likes that LA flashy life, hes all into that, and because I doubt he will join forces with RW in OKC. Never forget the game the Celtisc played the Clips in LA about two years ago. We ware young, very young, with young inexperienced coach at the helm. We showed them the teeth but it just wasn't enough and we lost by something like 20 or 30. Important thing came afterwards when DAJ gave the post game interview and few players including BG were all jumping arund, smiling and joking like they just won the mf championship, and not some young team in january... I just could not believe what I was seeing.To me that is the real difference between players like BG and players like KG was. And to me Boogie is way way more like KG. He cares about his team, he cares about his teammates and he cares about the winning.

Just to add a little bit more, I always said that CP3&BG, as well as Howard&Harden, and RW&KD will NEVER win an NBA Chamionship. That's 2 out of 3 for now. If BG goes to OKC, I can say it right now that the duo of RW&BG will NEVER win the ring. Never.

[Snakehead]

Oh man, I would love to see B.Griffin leave the Clippers and return home to OKC.

Westbrook and Blake would be a lot of fun to watch.

That's a combo that could really plummet to earth with age and injuries.  Interesting for sure but still.

It's worth OKC trying.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'm sure they'll pursue Griffin.  Maybe they'll be successful, although they will have to figure out some cap magic to have the room for him.

But the key thing is that the entire point of Ainge trading for Griffin, if you believe that there was ever anything to the story, was with the cap room to extend Griffin, so that he doesn't leave as a free agent.  Ainge isn't going to open his piggy bank for someone he thinks might leave.

At the same time, Doc has a very competitive team, and he's not trading Griffin for peanuts.  So there is still no agreement coming any time soon.  It's far better for the Clippers to keep making a run at it with this year's team, and figure out Griffin next year, than it is to trade him.  Doesn't matter if they lose him for nothing.

Now, if the Clippers are somehow around .500 in February, maybe things change.  But before the season, it would be stupid for Doc to trade Griffin for anything less than a great package in return.  And since there's no commitment Griffin will stay, it would be similarly stupid to offer a ton.

Just not happening, for like the 10000th time.

Why do you think OKC would need to do some cap magic? I see them having a lot of cap space next season.

Or are you talking in the context from a trade + extend angle?

I'm assuming that they're not going to just let Oladipo and Adams walk, and thus they have cap holds of a combined $21 million.  Maybe that's an aggressive assumption, and they would let one or both go (not to mention Andre Roberson, who has a $5.5 million cap hold himself), but Presti would have a tough time letting the first two walk.  It wouldn't surprise me if either were extended this fall.

I'll have to do the math, will do so later when I get time. I'll take your word for it though.

[LarBrd33]

Doc trading Blake was always just something fans made up.  The only way that happens is it Blake tells them he's leaving in free agency.

[saltlover]

I'm sure they'll pursue Griffin.  Maybe they'll be successful, although they will have to figure out some cap magic to have the room for him.

But the key thing is that the entire point of Ainge trading for Griffin, if you believe that there was ever anything to the story, was with the cap room to extend Griffin, so that he doesn't leave as a free agent.  Ainge isn't going to open his piggy bank for someone he thinks might leave.

At the same time, Doc has a very competitive team, and he's not trading Griffin for peanuts.  So there is still no agreement coming any time soon.  It's far better for the Clippers to keep making a run at it with this year's team, and figure out Griffin next year, than it is to trade him.  Doesn't matter if they lose him for nothing.

Now, if the Clippers are somehow around .500 in February, maybe things change.  But before the season, it would be stupid for Doc to trade Griffin for anything less than a great package in return.  And since there's no commitment Griffin will stay, it would be similarly stupid to offer a ton.

Just not happening, for like the 10000th time.

Why do you think OKC would need to do some cap magic? I see them having a lot of cap space next season.

Or are you talking in the context from a trade + extend angle?

I'm assuming that they're not going to just let Oladipo and Adams walk, and thus they have cap holds of a combined $21 million.  Maybe that's an aggressive assumption, and they would let one or both go (not to mention Andre Roberson, who has a $5.5 million cap hold himself), but Presti would have a tough time letting the first two walk.  It wouldn't surprise me if either were extended this fall.

I'll have to do the math, will do so later when I get time. I'll take your word for it though.

Assuming they pick up Cameron Payne's option, and decline McGary and Huestis, they're at $61.5 million with 6 players under contract.  Add in both of Oladipo and Adams, and they're up to $82.5 million, which isn't nearly enough room.  If they let Oladipo walk, they'd have about a million to spare taking into account minimum roster holds.  It also means they probably would have to dump their first round pick as well, and hope that any CBA negotiation didn't raise the minimum player salaries by anything significant, as doing so could eat up their cap room with the non-roster holds.

I'm not saying they can't get Griffin.  But it is a trickier assumption that it looks on the surface if you go by straight maximum cap room, because it's incredibly unlikely they let Adams walk, and rather unlikely they let Oladipo walk.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'm sure they'll pursue Griffin.  Maybe they'll be successful, although they will have to figure out some cap magic to have the room for him.

But the key thing is that the entire point of Ainge trading for Griffin, if you believe that there was ever anything to the story, was with the cap room to extend Griffin, so that he doesn't leave as a free agent.  Ainge isn't going to open his piggy bank for someone he thinks might leave.

At the same time, Doc has a very competitive team, and he's not trading Griffin for peanuts.  So there is still no agreement coming any time soon.  It's far better for the Clippers to keep making a run at it with this year's team, and figure out Griffin next year, than it is to trade him.  Doesn't matter if they lose him for nothing.

Now, if the Clippers are somehow around .500 in February, maybe things change.  But before the season, it would be stupid for Doc to trade Griffin for anything less than a great package in return.  And since there's no commitment Griffin will stay, it would be similarly stupid to offer a ton.

Just not happening, for like the 10000th time.

Why do you think OKC would need to do some cap magic? I see them having a lot of cap space next season.

Or are you talking in the context from a trade + extend angle?

I'm assuming that they're not going to just let Oladipo and Adams walk, and thus they have cap holds of a combined $21 million.  Maybe that's an aggressive assumption, and they would let one or both go (not to mention Andre Roberson, who has a $5.5 million cap hold himself), but Presti would have a tough time letting the first two walk.  It wouldn't surprise me if either were extended this fall.

I'll have to do the math, will do so later when I get time. I'll take your word for it though.

Assuming they pick up Cameron Payne's option, and decline McGary and Huestis, they're at $61.5 million with 6 players under contract.  Add in both of Oladipo and Adams, and they're up to $82.5 million, which isn't nearly enough room.  If they let Oladipo walk, they'd have about a million to spare taking into account minimum roster holds.  It also means they probably would have to dump their first round pick as well, and hope that any CBA negotiation didn't raise the minimum player salaries by anything significant, as doing so could eat up their cap room with the non-roster holds.

I'm not saying they can't get Griffin.  But it is a trickier assumption that it looks on the surface if you go by straight maximum cap room, because it's incredibly unlikely they let Adams walk, and rather unlikely they let Oladipo walk.

Yeah, much tighter than a quick glance would've suggested.

[Moranis]

I'm sure they'll pursue Griffin.  Maybe they'll be successful, although they will have to figure out some cap magic to have the room for him.

But the key thing is that the entire point of Ainge trading for Griffin, if you believe that there was ever anything to the story, was with the cap room to extend Griffin, so that he doesn't leave as a free agent.  Ainge isn't going to open his piggy bank for someone he thinks might leave.

At the same time, Doc has a very competitive team, and he's not trading Griffin for peanuts.  So there is still no agreement coming any time soon.  It's far better for the Clippers to keep making a run at it with this year's team, and figure out Griffin next year, than it is to trade him.  Doesn't matter if they lose him for nothing.

Now, if the Clippers are somehow around .500 in February, maybe things change.  But before the season, it would be stupid for Doc to trade Griffin for anything less than a great package in return.  And since there's no commitment Griffin will stay, it would be similarly stupid to offer a ton.

Just not happening, for like the 10000th time.

Why do you think OKC would need to do some cap magic? I see them having a lot of cap space next season.

Or are you talking in the context from a trade + extend angle?

I'm assuming that they're not going to just let Oladipo and Adams walk, and thus they have cap holds of a combined $21 million.  Maybe that's an aggressive assumption, and they would let one or both go (not to mention Andre Roberson, who has a $5.5 million cap hold himself), but Presti would have a tough time letting the first two walk.  It wouldn't surprise me if either were extended this fall.

I'll have to do the math, will do so later when I get time. I'll take your word for it though.

Assuming they pick up Cameron Payne's option, and decline McGary and Huestis, they're at $61.5 million with 6 players under contract.  Add in both of Oladipo and Adams, and they're up to $82.5 million, which isn't nearly enough room.  If they let Oladipo walk, they'd have about a million to spare taking into account minimum roster holds.  It also means they probably would have to dump their first round pick as well, and hope that any CBA negotiation didn't raise the minimum player salaries by anything significant, as doing so could eat up their cap room with the non-roster holds.

I'm not saying they can't get Griffin.  But it is a trickier assumption that it looks on the surface if you go by straight maximum cap room, because it's incredibly unlikely they let Adams walk, and rather unlikely they let Oladipo walk.

Yeah, much tighter than a quick glance would've suggested.

I'd assume they would dump Kanter if Griffin was a real possibility.  Big contract and the odd man out.

[saltlover]

I'm sure they'll pursue Griffin.  Maybe they'll be successful, although they will have to figure out some cap magic to have the room for him.

But the key thing is that the entire point of Ainge trading for Griffin, if you believe that there was ever anything to the story, was with the cap room to extend Griffin, so that he doesn't leave as a free agent.  Ainge isn't going to open his piggy bank for someone he thinks might leave.

At the same time, Doc has a very competitive team, and he's not trading Griffin for peanuts.  So there is still no agreement coming any time soon.  It's far better for the Clippers to keep making a run at it with this year's team, and figure out Griffin next year, than it is to trade him.  Doesn't matter if they lose him for nothing.

Now, if the Clippers are somehow around .500 in February, maybe things change.  But before the season, it would be stupid for Doc to trade Griffin for anything less than a great package in return.  And since there's no commitment Griffin will stay, it would be similarly stupid to offer a ton.

Just not happening, for like the 10000th time.

Why do you think OKC would need to do some cap magic? I see them having a lot of cap space next season.

Or are you talking in the context from a trade + extend angle?

I'm assuming that they're not going to just let Oladipo and Adams walk, and thus they have cap holds of a combined $21 million.  Maybe that's an aggressive assumption, and they would let one or both go (not to mention Andre Roberson, who has a $5.5 million cap hold himself), but Presti would have a tough time letting the first two walk.  It wouldn't surprise me if either were extended this fall.

I'll have to do the math, will do so later when I get time. I'll take your word for it though.

Assuming they pick up Cameron Payne's option, and decline McGary and Huestis, they're at $61.5 million with 6 players under contract.  Add in both of Oladipo and Adams, and they're up to $82.5 million, which isn't nearly enough room.  If they let Oladipo walk, they'd have about a million to spare taking into account minimum roster holds.  It also means they probably would have to dump their first round pick as well, and hope that any CBA negotiation didn't raise the minimum player salaries by anything significant, as doing so could eat up their cap room with the non-roster holds.

I'm not saying they can't get Griffin.  But it is a trickier assumption that it looks on the surface if you go by straight maximum cap room, because it's incredibly unlikely they let Adams walk, and rather unlikely they let Oladipo walk.

Yeah, much tighter than a quick glance would've suggested.

I'd assume they would dump Kanter if Griffin was a real possibility.  Big contract and the odd man out.

Dumping players who make $18 million is not a simple proposition.  Also, Kanter has been their 6th man -- I wouldn't think his role would change with Griffin.  Not to mention he's really endeared himself to fans and teammates in trolling KD on Twitter.