OKC Thunder fans should tamper their trade deadline expectations

Jan 10, 2017; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder player Nick Collison and Thunder general manager Sam Presti watch the game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Kansas Jayhawks during the first half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Why OKC Thunder fans shouldn’t expect big moves at Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline.

The NBA Trade Deadline is Thursday afternoon. It’s important to remember that your favorite team – presumably the Oklahoma City Thunder given that you’ve clicked on this site and are reading this article – are not going to do anything.

No matter how many times you tweet about wanting your team to acquire a certain player, it’s not going to make it happen. You can try all the Trade Machine deals you want, but the Trade Machine is a flawed application that doesn’t take into account many factors. You can even try your trades in NBA 2K. Doesn’t matter. The GM logic in 2K is oftentimes better than the GM logic of actual general managers

Hope all you want for that big deal that allows your team to make it to the conference finals for the right to lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers or Golden State Warriors. But it’s not happening.

If you’re a Thunder fan, here’s why:

Lack of Assets

The Thunder have Cameron Payne, Enes Kanter, and that’s about it as far as assets go. Payne hasn’t showed much promise in his limited opportunities; but he’s young, was mismanaged last season and coming off an injury. A team might be willing to take a chance on him if they’re really desperate for a young point guard. Kanter is an offensive force who is improving on defense, but that contract will scare some teams off. Plus he’s a guy you acquire if you’re ready to make a winning move, not if you’re looking to rebuild.

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Andre Roberson has certainly increased his value this season with his defensive play, but do other teams value him the same way Oklahoma City values him? He’s the ultimate one-way player who stalls any offense. Roberson can’t exactly be used off the bench where you typically want scoring, not a defensive specialist. He’s also a restricted free agent after this season and seems to want a pretty penny for his play.

Anthony Morrow is a knockdown shooter who isn’t knocking down shots. Nick Collison won’t be traded out of loyalty. Semaj Christon has backup experience and that’s about it. Kyle Singler is more or less useless.

Joffrey Lauvergne and Jerami Grant are nice players, but given that Sam Presti acquired them as the focal points of two separate deals over the past year, it’s tough to imagine him parting with either.

The Future

Presti is always thinking towards the future. Oklahoma City has always had one of the youngest cores in the league. Serge Ibaka was 26 and Presti decided to acquire a guy who is 24 and a first round pick. Presti isn’t sacrificing the future, which means guys like Victor Oladipo, Steven Adams, Alex Abrines (yes DA GAWD is in this group) and Domantas Sabonis are staying put, unless it’s a move that stabilizes the future. It’s also why I have a hard time envisioning him trading Kanter, 24, or Payne, 22, unless a star or fellow early 20’s prospect is coming back.

Remember, it’s not about this season for the Thunder. While getting out of the first round would be nice, the goal is to build long term stability around Russell Westbrook that eventually leads to a title. Butler and George help in the short term, and while both players are young – Butler is 27, George is 26 – they’ll not only require the sacrifice of current long term assets (young players, draft picks) OKC would also have to sacrifice longer term assets (cap space, roster flexibility).

Obviously, if players like Butler or George are available, Presti should inquire. But that leads me to my next point.

General Managers Are Weird

The Sacramento Kings had multiple offers for DeMarcus Cousins. Even Vlade Divac mentioned that he had a better offer for Cousins than the one they eventually accepted. It’s important to remember that NBA general managers are weird, don’t have to trade anyone if they don’t want to, and like who they like. Would you trade a franchise center for Buddy Hield, two guys you’re going to cut, and a couple of draft picks? Probably not. But you don’t think Buddy Hield is the next Steph Curry.

It’s impossible to think like a NBA general manager. It’s easy for us to sit behind our computers and phones and think, “yeah, that makes sense,” but we don’t know what’s really going on in the locker room. We don’t have the owner breathing down our neck. And we aren’t making millions of dollars. Yes, we want Jimmy Butler or Paul George in Oklahoma City, but if Gar Forman and Kevin Pritchard don’t want to trade Butler or George, there isn’t a ton Sam Presti can do about that. And if Forman or Pritchard value Aaron Gordon, and see him as the next Blake Griffin, then it doesn’t really matter if Presti tries to include Victor Oladipo.

What To Expect?

Presti is always active on Deadline Day. Even if he’s just doing something minor to clear cap space or freeing up a roster spot for a potential buyout target, he’s always look to improve the Oklahoma City Thunder roster from a personnel and flexibility standpoint. While nothing happening would be surprising, Presti breaking Twitter would be even more surprising.

Until then, lets all freak out and speculate.

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Oklahoma City Thunder and trade deadline expectations

By Jeremy Lambert | Feb 21, 2017