lmao the orlando thunder and oklahoma city magic. in your scenario they basically just traded starting 5's. and adams is way better than capela and harrell
that would be stupid. You don't blow up a team when you still have a top 5 player and cornerstone to build around. They won't be as good next season, but they could absolutely fix the situation and build around westbrook
I know this wouldn't happen, but hypothetically, would you rather have Westbrook in MDAs system (at its best) or Harden?
They do if it is pretty freakin likely that they lose him next offseason for nothing like (if) they did for Durant.
If Durant is gone OKC is dead. I'm not even sure they can make the playoffs without him...they're probably going to trade Westbrook as soon as possible, watch the Lakers trade a couple of their youngsters for him (Russell and Randle or Ingram).... Spoiler and watch Harden leave us with nothing left next year
There's no reason for Harden to leave if we do well next season, and I definitely don't buy into him wanting to go back to LA. He had a very rough childhood and grew up in the slums in LA. I don't think its a place he looks on fondly or has good memories of. But for whatever reason people on here forget that and just think he's gone to LA.
Don't we have harden under contract for two more seasons? Either way, fortunately money usually wins out. Harden seems like a take the biggest offer kind of guy.
I don't know, i'm probably just too pessimistic but i can see him bolt if there's a better situation out there, like Durant is certainly thinking right now...at some point players want to win, and i'm not sure we'll be in that position in one/two years...
Yes, and i hope you're right about him taking the money (i kinda feel the same to be honest), i'm just scared cause at some point players want to win, and we'll not be in a very good positon there's obviously a very good chance to see him leave...i mean, two years are pretty fast to pass, i hope we can make some moves to get better but eh...
How do you build around a guy that's most likely to leave you in 1 year's time? Of the big 3 - Durant, Westbrook and Harden, Durant was always the most likely to stay due to loyalty and not needing a big market. Harden may have stayed if he was the starter and had the ball in his hands. Westbrook always seemed the most likely to leave for a big market team like LAL, or the Knicks/Heat/Bulls etc. Westbrook may have resigned with OKC due to the opportunity to play for a championship if Durant stayed, but if Durant goes, it's more than likely Westbrook goes as well. Presti got what he could for Harden. And he'll get what he can for Westbrook if Durant leaves. And if Durant indicates he'll sign with GSW, Presti will try to work out a sign and trade if he can get assets. Barnes + AI + Bogut could well keep the OKC very competitive with Westbrook, or be used in half a season's time to trade for more assets should Presti trade Westbrook for say Ingram + Russell (for example).
If Durant leaves, Presti has to trade Westbrook so he doesn't leave as a free agent, and other GMs will lowball him. I don't think he gets two lottery picks for him.
I agree with you because Presti wouldn't want lottery picks for WB. He wants players. For example, Lakers would give up Ingram and anything else OKC wanted to bring WB home.
LMAO WB is the biggest fake superstar on the planet, he can't do anything on his own obv if KD leaves the best thing to do is trade away WB while his stock is hot. If WB is on his own OKC won't even make the playoffs and people will realize he's just a ballhog with average offensive skills despite all the attitude and charisma he brings on the table. But to be honest with the cast OKC has right now I don't know why he would leave unless WB told him he was gonna leave in FA to LA or some other team, their team right now is stacked and very balanced. If I were him I'd sign that 1+1 and then sign a multi-year deal next year depending on which team looks good. Who knows they might even luck out and win next year.
This has to be the case now. The two things in Westbrook's mind: 1) This is my team now, b****es. or 2) Screw this, I'm leaving, too. In OKC's mind, we cannot risk this: Let's cash out.
