The OKC Thunder stole Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott from the Bulls, but considering their upcoming free agency, this move looks like it’s part of Sam Presti’s bigger plan.
The most immediate reason for concern is both new OKC Thunder players’ upcoming free agency. I know that for us Thunder fans, the thought of losing players through free agency stings. But I don’t think it’s Kevin Durant’s free agency that we should be thinking about. He left because he chose to. It was not because of Sam Presti, or at least the way Presti handled Durant’s contract situation.
The real red flag for the OKC Thunder is actually the much-loved Dion Waiters. Today, the Thunder may not feel his loss as much because Victor Oladipo has taken on the role of leading the second unit. Waiters may not have cost much to bring in anyway, but losing him in restricted free agency should still serve as a warning against acquiring players who are approaching free agency.
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The Free Agency Challenge
Taj Gibson hits unrestricted free agency this summer, where he will likely command an annual salary around $10 million. For Doug McDermott the Thunder still have one more year of flexibility before he enters restricted free agency. But when the time comes, Presti can be certain that McDermott will attract some looks from other teams in the league. Sure, Gibson and McDermott are definitely upgrades from Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow respectively. But right now, Presti is taking on the risk of losing players that he gave his best trade chip (Cam Payne) up for.
Between the two, Gibson is definitely the bigger flight risk. Gibson is a top-notch professional known for his grit and grind. He’s not elite in any area, but he’s a solid defender and rebounder with some post moves. There will definitely be a market for veterans like him, especially amongst near contenders.
The problem is, Gibson turns 32 this summer — not too old to scare away all his potential suitors, but still close enough to losing his physicality that it might not be worth it for the OKC Thunder to break the bank for him. Remember, Andre Roberson is hitting the free market this summer as well, so it could very well come down to which of these two players offer Billy Donovan the most options on court.
Bulls GM Gar Forman pulled the trigger on this trade because he didn’t want to let Gibson walk for nothing. We all know Presti is a genius, but after Waiters last summer, let us hope this will not become two summers in a row of letting lottery picks walk for free?