OKC Thunder: Pros and cons of trading Chris Paul to New York Knicks
The OKC Thunder is Chris Paul’s team:
Paul stated he’s the happiest he’s ever been so he’s also not pressing to leave. Sure, he’d like to win a title but he’s learned the value of being comfortable and happy while still being able to win.
Those factors will take precedence as CP3 won’t opt for a team full of superstars if he’ll be miserable. Nor would he be anxious to join an organization where he’d need to establish a culture from the ground up.
The Thunder have youngsters but their identity and culture were never in question. Paul took a backseat to Blake Griffin and James Harden despite being the smartest player on the court. No doubt that played a factor in his frustration while in LA and Houston.
Chris Paul talked with teammates about OKC Thunder trading him. light. Related Story
Conversely, Paul’s Raging Bull swagger and utter joy are omnipresent in OKC. That and the fact the Thunder are HIS TEAM. And, as long as he remains in OKC, Shai will be more than happy to play the Robin to CP3’s Batman.
Beyond the Point God’s happiness with his teammates is the relationship he has with GM Sam Presti and Head Coach Billy Donovan. That value can’t be undermined.
Listening to Danny Green‘s podcast In the Green Room with guest Kenny Smith this week there was a topic that resonated and has natural ties to this situation. With regard to the NBA Draft, Smith pointed out you can always tell which teams “do the work” by how many prospects from Duke, Kentucky, and the top schools are on any given team.
He noted if a club is littered with players from those schools it likely means that team was lazy and didn’t roll up their sleeves to do the real work of finding those hidden gems.
Similarly, building an identity and culture from the ground up is a long term task especially considering how long the Mecca has been mired in losing without a strong foundation of culture.
Whoever takes on the lead role to fix those issues will have the added pressure of dealing with owner James Dolan who at any given moment can stop whatever growth is made via his demands or actions.