Choices loom for OKC Thunder – buy or sell, lottery or playoffs
Dissecting the varying comments of the pundits:
I began this article right after the Jazz victory and since then comments were made by pundits regarding the direction Sam Presti and the OKC Thunder will take. And to say the stances provided were on two different sides of the spectrum would be underselling how diametrically opposed those statements/opinions are.
OKC Thunder will be sellers:
On one side of the equation is Shams Charania who emphatically states the Thunder are sellers. But with the caveat that Sam Presti is not only open to eating large contracts but ones with longer terms. Charania’s full article is on the paid for subscription website The Athletic.
The one thing to be cautious of is these types of reports while often accurate are also relying on opposing team’s intelligence (or strategies). It can behoove a club to present the case Sam Presti would eat contracts so that team can then do a deal with the Thunder.
Latest Inside Pass from NBA Insider @ShamsCharania: Kevin Love prefers a move to a contender, moments of frustration in Atlanta, a surprise Thunder approach, and more on the developing trade market.https://t.co/DDa8oydrcv
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) December 9, 2019
Let’s not forget the Thunder are among the few franchises who NEVER leak information. This means other teams or agents will use the Thunder to make their own statements as a way to get the information out into the universe. Knowing Presti won’t confirm or deny any rumor is why this happens.
The question you have to ask yourself is WHY? Why would Sam Presti take on a long term expensive contract of a player when he’s presumably shopping a long term contract (Chris Paul) of a player who is still very much capable of helping a team?
Why would OKC want to absorb a long term deal of a player who presumably isn’t as valued? And more importantly why add that to a salary sheet when the team is presumptively trying to lower their overhead?