Yup. There is none, which takes another possible team off the table. Philly and Phoenix have the assets but are too young for a superstar in his prime to be interested so they would be flushing assets down the toilet just so that they can win 25-35 games and hurt their 2017 draft position.
FYI, there's no buzz at all in the OKC metro about the Thunder trading Westbrook or Westbrook's desire to bolt for the Lakers in free agency. Re: the Lakers, many have made the assumption that Westbrook would consider the Lakers as a free agent because he grew up in LA and has "fashion" interests. But, Russ has never publicly hinted at an interest in the Lakers. That doesn't keep Laker fans from drooling, just as KD's lack of stated interest never kept Wizard fans from drooling.
You take the chance if it's the only feasible way to trade for a superstar. Even if there's a a 50% chance he bolts, the chances of either of the Brooklyn picks turning into Westbrook are far less than 50%.
You don't burn the assets for one season of maybe competing for the conference. RW doesn't put them into title contention as the team is currently built. It puts them in competition with Cleveland and still behind them.
If you can get him for a steep discount why not? It's going to be interesting. He should have huge value but if he won't extend anywhere it kills his market. It doesn't help that a 73 win team added another HOF talent and no single team with assets to trade would be pushed over the top with him.
I'm sorry could you expound on the "significant increase" on chances of resigning him? Based on what? C's wouldn't have any more of a significant increase than OKC does now or did to resign Durant (considerably less in both cases, more so the later). Is the aura of the parquet wooing him?
They have the option of offering an extra year to a guy that will be able to get a max deal again whether his contract is 4 years or 5, when it expires, likely in an environment that will have a higher cap and he then will be a ten year vet and can get a bigger portion of it. RW isn't resigning anywhere over a fifth year. He's going to go where he wants and get as much as he is allowed under the rules. It's either going to be for outside opportunities (like clothing and fashion, which is where the LA speculation comes from) or because it's a super team. The Celtics with RW and no other star is not a super team. So again, if they don't have a move lined up for another guy, it's dumb to spend the assets.
I'm gonna go ahead and assume he's willing to take that risk, especially since he's a far better player than Deron Williams ever was. If you'd like, we can list all the players that signed max deals at 31 or older if you like. Or apparently you haven't noticed the nature of NBA contracts and team construction lately? If it's all about the difference in money for that one year he can find it even if he shits the bed. If your hypothetical situation occurred today, here's a dozen teams that would give him a max deal without blinking an eye, even in a diminished state, either for publicity or to meet the floor. Let's start with Brooklyn.
Brooklyn's current roster is pretty pathetic. But, I'm not sure whether Presti is going to trade Westbrook in the wake of the Durant desertion. Have to keep the sell-out streak going!
You aren't only risking one season of RW but also the collateral damage to the organization should RW bolt as our roster would look far different 12 months from now between the young players we gave up as well as the changes made to form a better fit with Westbrook running the team.
So if the C's traded for Westbrook, would their chances of signing him long term go up, go down, or stay the same?
Agreed. Particularly with long odds of winning a title in that time frame with GS and the Cavs loaded. C's are in a good but weird place being a good team now but I think the best C's team with the current roster and assets is a couple years away. Not getting Durant makes me not want to give up what it would likely take to land Westbrook.
I would have to say no one knows. Westbrook only reluctantly talks to the press, and even told a local reporter, "I just don't like you." Unlike Durant, Westbrook has an entourage of four: his mom, his dad, his brother, and his wife. They don't talk to the press either.
OKC could trade Westbrook straight up for Griffin (OK native), and then OKC and the LAC could try to sell each on that old "coming home" narrative.
I think this would be based on history. When given the chance of bolting for less money, or staying for more money, most free agents have chosen to stay with current team to maximize their earnings. Of course there are examples of that not happening, and a couple big names recently have chosen to do so, but, historically, players go for the most money.
Nope, but he's getting older and has been physically fragile. My trade proposal wasn't serious; it's just a gloss on all the unverified assertions that Westbrook is looking to "go home" to LA.
I'm sure they are. Because that would be the best possible deal for them.
Woj has said that on a few different podcasts but when Lowe talked about it on The Lowe Post he was talking about other media sources (specifically Royce Young and Woj) thinking that. Just some context
Good context. So we're talking about Woj and Young, not Woj and Lowe. And probably Woj got it from Young too?
That seems like its a deal breaker from both sides then. The Clippers (or Kings if this Rudy Gay rumor is to be believed) are going to want players that can play right away in addition to the Brooklyn pick (Imagine Bradley, Crowder, Smart, or some combination of the 3).
Only mentioned it because Royce Young isn't thought of too highly around these parts while Lowe and Woj are basically the gold standards for NBA reporting. Didn't mean to seem pedantic or shit on the point
Any concrete reason for this? I had the impression that he's pretty plugged in when it comes to OKC players.
Agreed. It seems like the Nuggets and Clippers match up so well for a Griffin deal (Gallinari, Barton and Lauvergne or Nurkic) that that's where he will go if he is actually on the block.
Didn't take it that way - apologies if I came across as sarcastic.
Judging from the reactions to that KD article he wrote for ESPN, people don't think too highly of his reporting or sources. I tend to agree with you
Isn't part of the argument in going for it now that the IT & AB & JC contracts will never have more value than they do now? The Celtics could theoretically not end up with a top three pick with any of BRK picks, and then you've got a capped out roster without superstar prospects.
Absolutely. But I don't think Westbrook gets you there with the rosters GS and Cleveland are rolling. I would rather gamble on the Nets picks panning out then adding another star to Westbrook along with Westbrook signing up long term.
I wonder if this trade could work if you add in more 1st rounders (anything other than the BKN picks) and take out Crowder. I highly doubt it but Crowder is so valuable to the Celtics. He's pretty much their only playable wing (unless you want Smart there or are really high on Jaylen Brown) and him being traded creates a huge void there
How much better does Griffin make us than Crowder and Bradley? We get very thin at the 3 if Crowder goes. If we're going after Griffin then we're all in for the short term. I would think that something like Johnson (12m), Bradley and the 2018 Nets pick makes more sense for the Celtics.
