How trade deadline affects OKC Thunder amid winners and losers
Other notables:
Wade returns back to Miami:
Several other moves were made which bear mentioning. If you’re a Dwyane Wade fan then his departure from Miami just felt wrong, to begin with. Repeatedly, Wade took less money in order to sign and then re-sign LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Let’s not forget it was Wade who won the first championship of that trio and has proven to be a solid leader. For him to return to Miami is just the right place for him and I’m glad Pat Riley and Koby Altman found a way to make it happen.
Warriors, Rockets, Raptors:
Unlike the Celtics the fact these three squads made no major moves felt correct. All three teams rank among the best and have been the most consistent on both sides of the hardwood this season.
Although like the OKC Thunder they could add pieces via the buyout market there was no need to bust up the solid chemistry. In the Warriors case, they have depth and superstars. Houston has its stars, Clint Capela and a solid middle tier of talent. And, in the Raptors case breaking up the young bench which has been their x-factor could have resulted in disaster.
I’d add the Spurs to the mix, but apparently they were actively trying to acquire Avery Bradley.
Elfrid Payton to Suns:
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
Some pundits felt this was a non-move, but I’m all about it. From my perspective, Devin Booker is on the precipice of becoming a superstar. Booker doesn’t need another scorer to work alongside him. Rather, pairing him with a driving point guard like Elfrid Payton who can run the team and add elements of speed could be exactly what allows Booker to take another step up.
Tyler Ulis is scrappy and exciting, but too small to be starting. When Brandon Knight returns he’s not as strong defensively as Payton is. Considering the Magic rank 27th defensively but Payton is a net even speaks to his defensive ability.
Overall trade deadline effects on OKC Thunder:
The big storyline moving forward will be what happens with Paul George this summer. In the immediate aftermath, the good news is the Wolves, Blazers, Clippers, Nuggets, and Pelicans didn’t make major moves. Sam Presti can still add depth in the buyout market and the team will no doubt continue to develop and grow.