Here's what the Thunder need to do:

[Bimbo Coles]

1. Trade Westbrook - trade him for picks. A 2017 unprotected first + second round would suffice. Present it to the Sixers. You want to maximise your potential of yielding a high pick.
2. Trade Adams - the dynamics of the team are going to change without Durant and Westbrook. There's no point in re-upping and keeping a guy with his numbers/skill set. This team won't be ready to capitalise on the rebuild for another 4/5 years. He's best utilised as an asset in pursuing picks. Again, I'd take a future first rounder.
3. Reassure Donovan - let Donovan know he's guaranteed a job for the next 3/4 years. He simply needs to expose the young guys to a variety of situations. Based on his previous employment, he's the perfect candidate for this undertaking.
4. Sign Gasol to the max (60 mil+ over 2 years)! Hope the ink is still wet on Gasol's Spurs deal, that there's some sort of cooling-off period. Gasol won't make an impression on the Thunder's W/L record.

Thunder 2016/2017 team

G- Payne, Christon
G- Oladipo, Morrow
F- Singler, Roberson, Huestis
F- Gasol, İlyasova, McGary, Collison
C- Katner, Sabonis, Johnson

That's close to the worst team in the NBA.

Next season alone, guys like Lonzo Ball and Ivan Rabb would be all but theirs (they could have 3 picks in the top 10). In three seasons time, the entire starting side could be made up of picks from the last two drafts. We're looking at third year pros with upwards of 150 games under them, and with big time minutes. And almost the entire sum of your cap would be at your disposable... if you continue to sign one 10+ year vet to a max to meet the salary cap floor (you want it to be someone who has made the big money before, someone who is widely respected). You'd be able to offer 2/3 max deals when you're ready to commit, and you'd already possess a bevy of young talent. The Thunder would once more be the envy of the league.

[keep-itreal]

1. Pray for the next Kevin Durant

[Lakers Legend#32]

Relocate back to Seattle. No free agents will ever want to live in that redneck village.

[DMAVS41]

Why would you ever trade a best at center that is still getting better at age 22?

Makes no sense even if you are straight rebuilding...which the Thunder won't be.

[SecondTake]

Westbrook to Philly, lol, he would leave so fast after FA it would make their heads spin. He might just break his knee so he can sit out the year.

[BlakFrankWhite]

1. I think Boston is where Russ will get traded to and he will let them know that he will resign. They have some good picks to give up along with some young players. Isaiah Thomas would be included and OKC could flip him to Philly for a first round pick, probably Philly's, but possibly LA's.

2. Adams will be kept at all costs, he's 22 and one of the best centres in the league and our franchise player in the rebuild era. Kanter would be traded for first round picks.

3. Oladipo will be traded to Philly as they need a SG who can fill the roll for 5:6 years. If OKC were to include Oladipo for more picks and one of their young centers they could then flip Noel/Okafor. Maybe get Minny to give up Dunn or LaVine for Okafor.

4. Give Presti a stack of lottery picks, including a potential #1 next year as OKC would be very bad for a year or two, and watch him repeat his magic. :bowdown:

Payne
Lavine
Roberson
Sabonis
Adams

[Bimbo Coles]

Why would you ever trade a best at center that is still getting better at age 22?

Makes no sense even if you are straight rebuilding...which the Thunder won't be. You do know what a proper rebuild looks like, right? Not one of those players would be on the roster beyond their contract. Adams would be in the mire for 4/5 years. What's the point of that? And who's to say he wants to stay. His value isn't going to get higher than it is today? Take your return. Get your pick/s. Start anew.



Westbrook to Philly, lol, he would leave so fast after FA it would make their heads spin. He might just break his knee so he can sit out the year. We don't need a consensus. Westbrook's opinion is irrelevant. If the Sixers are willing to make a dumb move, and, in reviewing there recent history, they are, you do it.



1. I think Boston is where Russ will get traded to and he will let them know that he will resign. They have some good picks to give up along with some young players. Isaiah Thomas would be included and OKC could flip him to Philly for a first round pick, probably Philly's, but possibly LA's.

2. Adams will be kept at all costs, he's 22 and one of the best centres in the league and our franchise player in the rebuild era. Kanter would be traded for first round picks.

3. Oladipo will be traded to Philly as they need a SG who can fill the roll for 5:6 years. If OKC were to include Oladipo for more picks and one of their young centers they could then flip Noel/Okafor. Maybe get Minny to give up Dunn or LaVine for Okafor.

4. Give Presti a stack of lottery picks, including a potential #1 next year as OKC would be very bad for a year or two, and watch him repeat his magic. :bowdown:

Payne
Lavine
Roberson
Sabonis
Adams

1. I wouldn't want any of Boston's players. It's an exercise without worth. You don't need to compete for a couple of years. Go through the draft.

2. Kanter for first picks!? Who? Where? Adams, franchise player? You like your big men offensively constipated?

3. Oladipo has a year to run on his contract. You ever wonder why Magic gave him up? Perhaps he had his heart already set on his next destination. Rental.

4. More than a year or two of misery, but you do seem to get the nub of it.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Presti can get way more than just 1 1st rnd pick for each of Westbrook and Adams. :facepalm

[DMAVS41]

You do know what a proper rebuild looks like, right? Not one of those players would be on the roster beyond their contract. Adams would be in the mire for 4/5 years. What's the point of that? And who's to say he wants to stay. His value isn't going to get higher than it is today? Take your return. Get your pick/s. Start anew.


We don't need a consensus. Westbrook's opinion is irrelevant. If the Sixers are willing to make a dumb move, and, in reviewing there recent history, they are, you do it.




1. I wouldn't want any of Boston's players. It's an exercise without worth. You don't need to compete for a couple of years. Go through the draft.

2. Kanter for first picks!? Who? Where? Adams, franchise player? You like your big men offensively constipated?

3. Oladipo has a year to run on his contract. You ever wonder why Magic gave him up? Perhaps he had his heart already set on his next destination. Rental.

4. More than a year or two of misery, but you do seem to get the nub of it.


Why would you trade the likes of Adams and Oladipo when they are the type of guys you'd want? It makes no sense to trade them when you can't get close to their value in return.

They are the type of guys you'd want. They are 22 and 23 respectively.

Proper rebuild?

You'd trade Russ if he doesn't agree to extend...and maybe Kanter depending on what you can get.

And go from there...you don't trade Adams/Dipo...those are the exact guys you'd be trading to try and get...2 super talented already good players age 23 or younger.

:no:

[Smoke117]

The Thunder are going to drift into obscurity after Westbrook leaves...that's a damn fact. Why the **** would anyone want to go to OKC? No player wants to play there.

[Bimbo Coles]

Presti can get way more than just 1 1st rnd pick for each of Westbrook and Adams. :facepalm I would veto adding anything other than picks. So, you're saying the Sixers should be willing to give up the 1 or 2 or 3 overall pick in next year's draft for Westbrook's one season? Seriously?



Why would you trade the likes of Adams and Oladipo when they are the type of guys you'd want? It makes no sense to trade them when you can't get close to their value in return.

They are the type of guys you'd want. They are 22 and 23 respectively.

Proper rebuild?

You'd trade Russ if he doesn't agree to extend...and maybe Kanter depending on what you can get.

And go from there...you don't trade Adams/Dipo...those are the exact guys you'd be trading to try and get...2 super talented already good players age 23 or younger.

:no: You're trying to build the core of the team through the next few drafts. Adams and Oladipo don't figure in that. There's no certainty they re-sign, as opposed to the rookies who'd all be locked for the next four. You want guys like Ball and Rabb inheriting the team, not a discontent Adams sticking around with nothing to do but lose. Aside from that, he competes every night. You might have a hard time throwing games. You want to be as bad as you can be for the next few years, and then build with fresh personnel. Do you really want to keep an offensive black hole like Adams at 5, a player suited to the previous system which included two superstars, at the expense of a Davis-type two-way player (someone like Rabb), a player that completely changes your attacking structure? F uck me.