How Kristaps Porzingis’ offseason impacts the OKC Thunder

The Dallas Mavericks are prepared to offer Kristaps Porzingis a max contract. Porzingis’ offseason could have an impact on the OKC Thunder.

The Dallas Mavericks made a blockbuster trade at the NBA Trade Deadline to acquire disgruntled star Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks, for a disgruntled player of their own in Dennis Smith Jr. and a pair of veterans in DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews, and a couple of first round picks. How does this deal impact the OKC Thunder?

At the time of the trade, Porzingis was rehabbing from another injury and threatening to sign a qualifying offer this offseason with Dallas making himself an unrestricted free agent during the 2020 offseason.

However, since then, Porzingis began to rehab with the Dallas Mavericks staff, and form a connection with the new face of the franchise, centerpiece, and Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic. Now, the Mavericks feel as if there is a real chance that Kristaps Porzingis inks his name to a full five-year max contract worth 158 million dollars.

Kristaps Porzingis could stay with his original plan of inking the qualifying offer and being free to either return to Dallas next offseason or go anywhere else.

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For the OKC Thunder, this move impacts them greatly. No, not because they are going to rush out and sign Porzingis, but because they have no shot to get him.

If Porzingis, either this year or next year, stays in Dallas, the Thunder, and the entire Western Conference.

Right now, the Western Conference is by far the best conference in basketball, and arguably the most competitive any conference in any era has ever been. Just go down the list of teams.

Houston has Chris Paul and James Harden, the Nuggets have Jokic, and Murray with a young core, the Warriors have Stephen Curry and are primed to re-sign Klay Thompson, Portland has C.J. McCullom and Damian Lillard and just proved they can top the OKC Thunder both with a better record in the regular season, and by demolishing the Thunder in the postseason.

The Jazz have Conley, Mitchell, and Gobert, the Clippers are rumored to possibly get Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler, the Kings have Bagley and Fox, the Lakers have LeBron and Anthony Davis. The Pelicans have a good young core that can not be taken lightly.

Add in the Dallas Mavericks with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, and the OKC Thunder with Paul George and Russell Westbrook. You also can not count out the Spurs when coach by Gregg Popovich.

That just leaves the Memphis Grizzlies who have a promising young core with Ja Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr., and the Suns. Those are the only two teams that have no shot at making a playoff run this season, and likely not in the next few seasons either.

Only one of these teams (Clippers) is even contingent on Free Agency.

The Western Conference is going to be decided by the slimmest of Margins. If Porzingis stays healthy and stays with the Mavericks long term, the NBA Playoffs will not be a guarantee for the OKC Thunder, who barely snuck into the postseason two years ago, and this past year fell to the sixth seed but could have easily been the eighth seed.

Let’s just assume the Lakers and Mavericks move into the playoffs this season due to their revamped rosters. Who of the eight that made the postseason last year are you taking out?

The NBA offseason will be a wild time and every move could impact OKC.