How OKC Thunder Trade Impacts Team Salary and Financial Future
By Cole Hixon
With under an hour left before the trade deadline hit, the OKC Thunder made a trade bringing in Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott in exchange for Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow and Joffery Lauvergne.
The Trade
Immediately after the full details of the trade broke, there was a rush to praise Sam Presti. Again Presti made yet another trade that seems like a fleecing. Presti was able to shore up 2 areas of concern for the OKC Thunder, bench scoring and the power forward position, while only giving up one true asset in Cameron Payne.
In the days following, the trade was graded and dissected for the implications on the remainder of the season. The lesser discussed impact of the trade was the future implications it may have.
The Thunder now have $112.9 million in guaranteed salary for next season if Jerami Grant’s team option is picked up. This is almost $11 million over the projected salary cap of $102 million and just over $9 million under the projected luxury tax line of $122 million.
The $112.9 million in guaranteed salary only includes 11 players as Taj Gibson and Nick Collison will be free agents at the end of the year. Andre Roberson will also be a free agent, but he will be restricted. Mr. Thunder (Nick Collison) could be on his way to retirement or a veteran minimum salary. His salary isn’t the worry here.
The Offseason Impact
The Thunder are reportedly committed to signing Andre Roberson this summer. Roberson is a wing with an elite skill (defense) and in all likelihood will be in for a sizable payday this summer. Considering Solomon Hill got a 4 year $48 million contract and Allen Crabbe got 4 years $75 million last offseason. It would be hard to imagine him getting anything less than a contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $10 million.
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If Roberson were to sign any contract in those ranges, it would put the Thunder in the luxury tax with only 12 players on their roster. The Thunder going into the luxury tax next year is not a realistic option.
If the Thunder were to go into the luxury tax next season that would make it three out of four years that they have paid the luxury tax. This would trigger the repeater tax in the 2018-19 season. The season that could potentially be the first season of Russell Westbrook’s “super max” contract.
There is also the prospect of re-signing Taj Gibson. Gibson will turn 32 this summer and will be looking for one final big payday. He is still a good NBA player and could shore up the Thunder’s power forward depth while Domantas Sabonis and Jerami Grant continue to develop.
In addition to Roberson and Gibson, the Thunder own their 1st round draft pick this year and that player will add around $1.5 million in salary depending on where the pick falls.
The Thunder have some difficult decisions coming up this offseason. To make all of it work there is a good chance we see more roster turnover, as the Thunder continue to rebuild around Russell Westbrook after Kevin Durant’s departure.