OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti did a stellar offseason job, but did he miss the boat not using an asset he released instead of trading him to acquire Courtney Lee?
With training camp fully underway, the OKC Thunder begin its quest toward a maiden NBA Championship. Despite possessing tremendous depth on its wings, the Thunder may rue a missed opportunity of acquiring veteran guard Courtney Lee.
With 14 guaranteed contracts on its books, the OKC Thunder are likely to head into the 2018-19 season with eight wings. While the addition of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Abdel Nader this off-season certainly adds intrigue, reports out of New York believe guard Courtney Lee wants to be traded to a contender.
Source: Courtney Lee wants to be on a contender — and here’s how it can happen #Knicks https://t.co/A5wi6SpW0c
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) September 19, 2018
Oklahoma City may rue this missed opportunity.
With Paul George and Jerami Grant re-signing early in free agency, the Thunder were in position to make a solid play for the 32 year-old. Averaging 12 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.4 minutes last season.
Lee is a solid two-way guard who shot 45.4 percent from the field, 40.6 from three and 91.4 percent from the line. Not only does he become OKC’s second best 3-point shooter on arrival, he also becomes Oklahoma City’s best free throw shooter by a country mile.
Additionally, Lee also fits the Thunder’s defensive identity. While possessing average physical tools (listed at 6’5 with a 6’7 wingspan), he is tenacious on the ball and a superb team defender.
Although he’s posted two net-negative seasons the past two years, the New York Knicks are hardly the poster boys for hard-nosed defense. In 14 seasons as a pro, Lee has posted 10 net-positive seasons when put in the right situation.
What held back a potential deal back?
Ironically, Oklahoma City’s greatest asset in a potential deal was Kyle Singler‘s final year $5 million-dollar contract. Although his contract fit the numbers financially, the following factors may have impaired a possible exchange:
- Oklahoma City didn’t want Lee’s remaining two-years, $25 million-dollars on its books.
- OKC weren’t willing to part with second year wing Terrance Ferguson
- The Thunder refused to offer any picks in a potential deal
- New York weren’t interested in taking Singler
- The Knicks hadn’t decided their direction of their team at this point
For much of the off-season, Oklahoma City focused all its energy on trading Carmelo Anthony and Lee was unlikely to be on OKC’s radar. However, with Melo officially traded to Houston on the 25th of July and Singler waived on the 30th of August, the Thunder had almost six weeks to engage the Knicks on a trade.
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A Singler, TFerg and Alex Abrines trade worked out financially as well as freeing up cap space for New York to become serious players in next year’s free agency. Its difficult to believe general manager Sam Presti didn’t throw this trade some attention, but his affection for Abrines and Ferguson is well known.
As an advocate of the ‘win-now’ mentality, the Spaniard offers little more than outside shooting and Ferguson’s “upside” is as real as leprechauns searching for the pot of gold. Until it translates on court, it means very little to a team focusing on winning at the minute.
Singler has the last laugh
When Oklahoma City acquired Singler back in 2015, many believed it to be a solid move. However, that quickly changed after he signed his extension and forgot how to shoot. After virtually being unplayable for the past two seasons, its ironic that Singler was the key to a trade. Now waived, he gets his money and the Thunder are charged approximately $1 million for the next five seasons.
OKC can still trade for Lee but must include Patrick Patterson or one of their core pieces. With 2-Pat set to assume the starting power forward role due to his defensive prowess and 3-point shooting, its hard to envision the Thunder trading someone like Dre or Dennis Schroder. With the lack of medium sized contracts, a trade for Lee at this point is very difficult.
The proverbial ship appears to have sailed.
What are your thoughts on this – do you agree, disagree? Tell us in the comments section.