OKC Thunder: Peers get it wrong placing Sam Presti 2nd in Executive of Year
Presti’s unparalleled moves in 2019-20
While the narrator is biased it’s impossible to deny what Sam Presti accomplished this past offseason especially considering the circumstances involved in his moves. When Paul George essentially demanded a trade it put Presti in a situation where he had to move quickly.
Had he not found a way to send George to the Clippers or not delivered on his trade demands he risked George or his agent leaking his trade desires. If that had happened it would’ve reduced all the OKC Thunder GM’s leverage.
And, it wasn’t a risk Presti could take because that was precisely what he took advantage of when PG’s camp leaked his desire to leave the Pacers for LA.
Looking at the deal the New Orleans Pelicans got for Anthony Davis it was a similar situation with Davis demanding to be traded to the Lakers. The trade package David Griffin received was more asset-based and his peers weren’t as impressed as the voting reflects (he collected a single second-place vote and two third-place votes).
That the OKC Thunder landed a cornerstone talent in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as well as sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari, equated to immediate contributors. But the fact Presti also landed five first-round draft picks (four unprotected) and the ability to swap two first-round draft picks was an unprecedented package.
In comparison, the Lakers trade package for Davis included Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, three first-round draft picks (one protected), and the right to swap one draft pick. Considering Davis is ranked in the top five current NBA talents while PG13 would undergo two shoulder surgeries in the offseason the haul Presti got is unparalleled.
Additionally, the trade of Russell Westbrook to the Rockets brought Chris Paul to the OKC Thunder as well as another two first-round picks and the right to swap another two first-round draft picks. All four picks are protected — three are protected 1-4 and one protected 1-10. Another first-round draft pick was obtained in the Jerami Grant trade to the Nuggets.
Presti also drafted Darius Bazley and landed an undrafted gem Luguentz Dort plus he signed Mike Muscala in free agency and re-signed Nerlens Noel.
It’s hard to fathom how the executives felt Frank’s performance was better than Presti. Moreover, the Clippers were earmarked as the most likely to win the championship this season.
Meanwhile the OKC Thunder weren’t expected to even make the playoffs let alone land the West’s fifth seed. That the team came up one shot short of winning Game 7 versus the Rockets and moving into the second round was nothing short of an overachievement.