How the Spurs assets would fit OKC Thunder:
Listen, either of these players would be a steal for the Thunder to add to the roster. Both are excellent perimeter shooters (especially Bertans) and either of them would seamlessly fit into pitching in with whatever the team needs are.
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Bertans is on a highly economical $7 million deal this year and next while Belinelli is on an even more reasonable $6,153,846 this season and $5,846,154 next season.
Which is likely why the Spurs won’t be sending them anywhere. These two players are part of the reason they boast the top-ranked perimeter efficiency in the NBA despite their two stars not shooting them.
So, what would it take to steal one of these snipers away from San Antonio? This isn’t a GM who you can pull the wool over their eyes – we’re talking RC Buford and Pops here. So, it would require a player who they covet – one who they think they can develop and one who fills a major gap.
For the Spurs that equates to playmaking and guard abilities primarily for this season. Either of the players could be picked up via the $10.8 million tax trade exemption the Thunder collected in the Carmelo Anthony deal. But, unless the Spurs are anxious to clear money off their roster this season it doesn’t seem likely they’ll be moved just by cash.
Nor are the Spurs the type of franchise who likes to do deals with teams in their own conference. Is there a youngster who might move the needle for San Antonio?
Perhaps the one who might get Pops excited is Andre Roberson. In ARob, Pops would get a top-notch defender and someone who could replace the work Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard were tasked with. This might move the needle for San Antonio to part with Bertans although they would have to add another player for the salaries to match. Two options are Quincy Pondexter or Jakob Poeltl although it seems unlikely the Spurs would move both of their young bigs in one deal.
As we prepare for the deadline it’s not a likely scenario that this deal could get done, but there’s no reason not to speculate on it either. The big impetus for it not to happen might not even be from the Spurs side of the equation because Roberson is one of Westbrook and George’s favorite teammates and even with Ferguson’s growing game it would be a hard sell to get Russ and PG on board to send Andre out.
Likelihood Grade: 2 out of 10