Views from OKC is public diary from an OKC Thunder fan. Today we take a look at how this offseason could change the entire course of the Thunder organization.
Nobody is safe. Not even Russell Westbrook.
That’s the mentality Sam Presti must go into this offseason with. If Westbrook isn’t ready to sign another extension this summer, the free agency free-for-all that was the 2015-2016 season will happen yet again. Luckily for us Westbrook gave us reason to believe he will be staying.
Russell Westbrook was asked about signing an extension this summer. He hasn't thought about it yet, but he did say this: pic.twitter.com/m6X3fKfcLJ
— Boomtown Hoops (@BoomtownHoops) April 26, 2017
Let’s assume he signs an extension (it’s my guess of what is going to happen anyways).
After Russ there are still nine guaranteed contracts in OKC for next season. One of them is Ronnie Price, a training camp cut from this past season. That leaves us with Alex Abrines, Steven Adams, Semaj Christon, Josh Huestis, Doug McDermott, Victor Oladipo, Kyle Singler and Domantas Sabonis. Jerami Grant’s $1 million dollar option will 100% get picked up, giving them 10 players making $110 million next season; the projected salary cap is $102 million.
An Andre Roberson contract would only take a $3.2 million cap hit next season, but the full dollar amount ($12-15 million) would kick in for the 2018-2019 season. Taj Gibson, a player every Thunder fan wants to keep, is due to make double-digit figures this offseason as well.
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It’s impossible for the Thunder to add that coveted “second star” for Westbrook in their current situation. But without a true complimentary player, Oklahoma City is likely to stay in NBA No Man’s Land (6-8 seed in the playoffs) for another season.
So what does Sam Presti do?
Presti put himself in this situation. As the season was starting he gave Adams and Oladipo $100 million and $84 million contracts respectively. At the time the move made sense, but neither player developed enough over the course of this season to justify contracts that big. Both were restricted free agents at that so the OKC Thunder would have had full control over both players, just like Roberson.
Now it’s time for one of those contracts to move, preferably Adams.
The Big Kiwi is a delight in press conferences and has a great repertoire with Russ, but he just doesn’t fit with the Thunder. Adams can’t stretch the floor which only clogs up the lane for Russ. He’s too slow to guard a perimeter-oriented big, the exact direction the league is trending. Oh and he’s eating up almost 25% of the Thunder’s cap.
The moves can’t stop there however. If Presti can fleece a dumb GM for Oladipo and/or Enes Kanter, he should go for it. This offseason is all about getting the Thunder out of a truly terrible cap situation. It’d be fine if any of these three guys could live up to their contracts, but this past playoff series against the most modern team in the NBA gives me doubts.
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We don’t get to say this often: Sam Presti screwed up. Presti paid two players all-star money who had only shown glimpses of all-star potential through their first three seasons in the league. It made sense – he didn’t want to lose his players for nothing like he lost KD.
This offseason is his chance to re-correct that error. It’s his chance to use an entire season of Russell Westbrook being the solo star to figure out what works best for Russ. There’s a chance this team could be blown up much like it was last offseason. And that’s okay, because besides Russ, there aren’t many players we can trust in Oklahoma City.
Sam Presti has a plan. He always does. It just so happens that his plan this summer could set the Thunder up for a few more years of championship contending or for a stretch of first-round exits. Your move Sam.