The trade deadline came and went with the OKC Thunder not making a move. Sam Presti knows what he’s doing because the OKC Thunder can still add a piece via the buyout market.
The OKC Thunder decided to stand pat at this years trade deadline. The reason why remains unknown. Although there are multiple suggestions why Presti stood pat.
The reasons include but are not limited to. The deal the Thunder wanted simply was not available for one reason or another. Asking prices could have been too high. OKC could have been lacking in assets or unwilling to offer assets.
For a deeper look at the trade deadline check out TI’s full recap. In a separate article TI examined how despite Presti not making any moves, the deadline could still affect OKC’s future.
Before we get into buyout candidates it is important to understand what a buyout is. A buyout is typically when an overpaid veteran player (or one the team wants to clear up salary from) and his current team negotiate a sum of the players salary to payout the player. Essentially paying the player to go away.
After the player is bought out and clears waivers they become a free agent, free to sign with whatever team he so chooses. Money is generally not an issue unless the new team is willing to pay more than the players buyout sum.
The amount of the players new salary typically the veterans minimum is taken out of the amount owned by his previous team.
With that, lets get to round one, with ten different buyout candidates the OKC Thunder could be interested in, if they actually reach a buyout.