Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

Threats to the OKC Thunder: A guide to Paul George’s offseason

By Stephen Dolan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 25: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder talks with media after the game against the Utah Jazz in Game Five of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 25: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder talks with media after the game against the Utah Jazz in Game Five of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Paul George - LeBron James
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – FEBRUARY 13: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder hug after the game on February 13, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Cleveland Cavaliers

This option is all about LeBron James. If LeBron goes to Dan Gilbert and whoever is the Cavaliers GM these days with a “Trade for Paul George or I walk” ultimatum, they would have to make the move. The other side of that coin is Paul George doing the same to the Thunder. “Trade me to Cleveland, or I’ll just sign with the Lakers.”

Per Woj in that same ESPN segment, LeBron and PG are interested in playing with each other.

Per Thunder fans everywhere, Woj, please stop.

The players and sense

Discussing PG’s fit on the Cavaliers is inseparable from discussing his fit with LeBron James. Since whatever roster LeBron is on is subject to his every whim and fancy, there can be no predictability to the Cavaliers roster from year to year. LeBron could wake up one morning not liking a player, and they’d be gone.

So, discussing Paul George’s fit with Cleveland really comes down to discussing his fit with LeBron. Let’s see, how would LeBron do when paired with a tall, sharp-shooting, switch-able, defensive-minded wing?

Yeah, they could probably make it work.

The only reason that this may not be a fit, is that LeBron might not want to remain in Cleveland. The team’s struggles were on full display in this postseason. However, many of the problems with their roster were caused by LeBron’s generosity to his friends, JR Smith and Tristan Thompson. The rest were caused by his unhappiness with the team, which led to massive, payroll-increasing mid-season trades.

Although the issues were largely due to James’s macro-managing, the issues remain. The team is expensive, top-heavy, and just not good enough. If LeBron wants out, you can cross Cleveland off as a threat for Paul George

The dollars and cents

The Cavaliers have assets. Thanks to Kyrie Irving strong-arming his way out of town, Cleveland is actually in a decent position for the first time since LeBron rode into town and spent all their money on Kevin Love, JR Smith, and Tristan Thompson. They have the eighth pick in the draft (via Brooklyn). They have Kevin Love and several large, expendable contracts.

Actually, to call those contracts “expendable” is far too complimentary. JR Smith will receive $31 million over the next two seasons. Tristan Thompson: $36 million. George Hill: $37 million (although the second year carries only a small guarantee). Jordan Clarkson: $25 million. Those are all contracts that can be, at best, considered “bad contracts.”

Should Paul George demand a trade to Cleveland, the Thunder would likely have to bite the bullet and hope for Kevin Love’s two-year, $49.7 million contract in return. If that isn’t on the table, the Thunder would be better off to just let PG walk into free agency, with the Cavaliers as a non-option, than they would be to take one of those contracts back.

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