Rumor Bleacher Report (lol): OKC looking to trade Westbrook before season starts?

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PtldPlatypus

PtldPlatypus

Let's go Baby Blazers!
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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...um=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

Howard Beck says that rival GMs have a general feeling that Westbrook will not return to OKC, and that Presti ("who is always ahead of the game on these things") is likely to trade him this offseason. Says that Boston is the most likely destination.

Would Thomas/Brown/Nets picks be a fair deal for Westbrook? Would pairing Westbrook and Horford get Boston within spitting distance of Cleveland?
 
PtldPlatypus said:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...um=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

Howard Beck says that rival GMs have a general feeling that Westbrook will not return to OKC, and that Presti ("who is always ahead of the game on these things") is likely to trade him this offseason. Says that Boston is the most likely destination.

Would Thomas/Brown/Nets picks be a fair deal for Westbrook? Would pairing Westbrook and Horford get Boston within spitting distance of Cleveland?
Click to expand...

If I'm OKC, I'm trying to trade for a young, established star. Kyrie Irving would be my target. Or, better yet, Minnesota.... but the Wolves would be STUPID to make that trade. No chance in hell RW would re-sign there.
 
Natebishop3 said:
If I'm OKC, I'm trying to trade for a young, established star. Kyrie Irving would be my target. Or, better yet, Minnesota.... but the Wolves would be STUPID to make that trade. No chance in hell RW would re-sign there.
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Have to think Lakers, don't you?
 
How funny would it be if he was traded to Golden State?
 
Howard Beck is legit. BR is becoming more mainstream.

I want more of these starts to go east, so I do hope Boston guts their team for him. Then again, Ainge has been notorious for floating bullshit rumors and then complaining about how he can't fleece anybody.
 
illmatic99 said:
Howard Beck is legit. BR is becoming more mainstream.

I want more of these starts to go east, so I do hope Boston guts their team for him. Then again, Ainge has been notorious for floating bullshit rumors and then complaining about how he can't fleece anybody.
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Boston could probably land Westbrook for Smart, Brown, and the Nets 1st pick (of course they'd have to cut Johsnson).

But is that a better package than Russell, Ingram, and Lou Williams (for cap reasons)?
 
Natebishop3 said:
If I'm OKC, I'm trying to trade for a young, established star. Kyrie Irving would be my target. Or, better yet, Minnesota.... but the Wolves would be STUPID to make that trade. No chance in hell RW would re-sign there.
Click to expand...
Thomas isn't a bad base piece for Westbrook, especially to play alongside Oladipo. Add in a couple more lottery picks, and the chance to get your own this year--that's one hell of a rebuild-on-the-fly.

Thomas/Oladipo/Brown/Sabonis/Adams (+Kanter) with 3 lottery picks over the next two years--nothing to shake a stick at.
 
Mediocre Man said:
Have to think Lakers, don't you?
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BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94 said:
Boston could probably land Westbrook for Smart, Brown, and the Nets 1st pick (of course they'd have to cut Johsnson).

But is that a better package than Russell, Ingram, and Lou Williams (for cap reasons)?
Click to expand...

If I'm the Lakers, I'm not trading for him. If he wants to come there, he'll come there in free agency next summer, and they'll still have the cap space. If he doesn't want to be there, he sure as hell won't stay if they have to make their team even worse than it already is in order to get him.

Boston's a different story because they have a chance to contend this year.
 
I think Lakers.... Westbrook has a big enough ego that he'll want to restore the team to glory.

If that happens, I'm trading Russell for a shooting guard. Maybe see if Milwaukee would bite on D Russell for Middleton or something like that.
 
PtldPlatypus said:
If I'm the Lakers, I'm not trading for him. If he wants to come there, he'll come there in free agency next summer, and they'll still have the cap space. If he doesn't want to be there, he sure as hell won't stay if they have to make their team even worse than it already is in order to get him.

Boston's a different story because they have a chance to contend this year.
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Good point, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he landed in LA next summer and the lakers trade Ingram+one of Russell/Clarkson to Houston for Harden.
 
It would fit the Presti MO of trading before it's an issue - see Harden and Reggie Jackson.

Teams who should have a shot:
Boston - can offer Brooklyn pick(s) plus Marcus Smart and maybe Jaylen Brown (who I don't rate at all)
Philly - tons of big men but are OKC ready to hand the reins to Cameron Payne? And would Philly risk Westbrook bolting?
Lakers - If they offered Russell AND Ingram, then OKC would almost certainly do it. But they probably won't, and no other combo would be good enough. Plus the Lakers might still kid themselves that they can land Westbrook in free agency.
Suns - Bledsoe is sort of Westbrook-lite, but he's always injured. If they offered Devin Booker AND Marquese Chriss I bet OKC would bite.
Kings - Westbrook for Boogie? But OKC has a lot of big men and there's no way Westbrook would re-sign in Sacto. Maybe a three-way?
 
Other teams should know not to give TOO much, because they only have a year of him before UFA... so OKC may have to take less than what should be expected.

And I love it.
 
Strenuus said:
Other teams should know not to give TOO much, because they only have a year of him before UFA... so OKC may have to take less than what should be expected.

And I love it.
Click to expand...

And yet Minny was able to get Wiggins for Love. I still don't understand that one.
 
Presti should probably shoot for getting the most draft picks, because OKC is incredibly good at drafting. So Boston it is, then.
 
Natebishop3 said:
And yet Minny was able to get Wiggins for Love. I still don't understand that one.
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Perhaps this will help:
kevin-love-of-the-cleveland-cavaliers-poses-for-a-portrait-after-the-picture-id541562068
 
Ainge has already had to deal with one knucklehead pg when they had Rondo, not sure if he wants to deal with an even bigger talent, yet bigger d-bag in Westbrook.
 
The only probable destination is Boston. Thomas + Brown/Crowder + Nets pick would actually be a great deal for Oklahoma if Westbrook was really seriously considering leaving in free agency next year. He'd also be likely to resign in Boston if everything goes fine.

Philadelphia don't have the assets to make the trade as Oklahoma will not take any of their bigs. Westbrook won't resign there either. Lakers would have a shot at resigning him but would have to give up on Russell or Ingram to get it done - not going to happen. This season is a write off for them anyway so giving away any assets would be silly for one year rental.

If I'm Oklahoma I'd try to move him and rebuild. He's likely to leave next year anyway and if you lose him for nothing you're in deep trouble. Not sure why anyone would offer significant assets for one year rental in a season Warriors and Cavaliers will dominate anyway.
 
Did OKC ever end up getting anything of value for Hardin? (and Cole Aldrich)

I know the players were useless (Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb) but what about the two first-round picks and a second-round pick? Who did they end up being?
 
PtldPlatypus said:
Would pairing Westbrook and Horford get Boston within spitting distance of Cleveland?
Click to expand...

On the deal you proposed (which it's hard to evaluate for realism, since we don't know yet how Westbrook's trade market will develop, considering he'll be an impending free agent), it easily elevates Boston to Cleveland's level, in my opinion. The Celtics were a top-five defense and a top-ten offense last year. At worst, Horford (a significant defensive plus) and Westbrook (a mild defensive minus) probably cancel each other out and don't seriously compromise Boston's defense. But the two of them upgrade Boston's offense a lot--they were missing a real go-to player (Thomas is a crafty scorer, but not a dominating one). They'd have two in Horford and Westbrook and two who can play off each other well.

Horford and Westbrook backed by a top defense and one of the best coaches in basketball would make a strong bid as the best team in the East, IMO.
 
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