OT OKC

[Rastapopoulos]

So... how are they so fucking good? Remember they're obliterating teams without Jalen Williams. How did they dig up that Belgian kid? He was very lightly-regarded coming into the draft. And how did they rob the Sixers so blind for Jared McCain? I mean, he was a great rookie for the Sixers...

That said, supposing they win the title without Williams, or even if he comes back, he's going to start earning big money next season. (Is $41M big money any more, though?) I can see them wanting to get off his salary, especially as they seem to be able to find replacements so easily (and probably will with their Clippers pick this draft). Should we be interested? Not sure what we can offer, or even if we can do that trade, though. And they might just move Luguentz Dort and Hartenstein instead.

They should be inspiring: they constructed a juggernaut, despite being in one of the least appealing small markets in the country, without recruiting stars to come to them, just through incredibly savvy drafting and development. They're not flashy, their players seem to get along and to be non-assholes (at least off the court). But God dammit they're a hard team to love. However, depending on what Dundon does, I might try harder to love them.

 

[Cugel]

like you said, I just have the feeling there are not a lot of egos on that roster. They do their jobs.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Patience and the right staff. They got obliterated when they tore the team down. I remember people here making fun of Presti in the deconstruction phase.
To build a perennial contender that has so many assets you have to think they continue with sustained success is awesome.

 

[wizenheimer]

Presti took one huge risk in 2017 that has paid off big-time:

* he traded Sabonis & Oladipo for Paul George and his expiring contract. At the time I remember that it was the conventional wisdom that PG13 would walk the following summer. But he didn't; he re-signed with OKC.....then Balmer and Kawhi entered the picture, pressuring OKC to trade PG13. Presti obliged and traded for SGA in 2019, the pick that was used on Jalen Williams, and the 12th pick this June. And as long as Presti was trading George, he decided to dump Westbrook and start a full rebuild.

that's how he was able to draft Josh Giddey at 6; Holmgren at 2; and Derreck Lively at 12. He traded Giddey for Caruso who has been an excellent 6th man for them. And traded Lively for Cason Wallace

that's not to say Presti has been perfect. Right now OKC could have Jamie Jaquez and Ty Jerome on the bench but Presti was tinkering and essentially traded them away for next to nothing

but the genesis of OKC's budding dynasty was Presti rolling the dice on the PG13 trade in 2017. He traded two young prospects for the expiring contract of George. That's the kind of big trade that the risk adverse Blazers wouldn't have made

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Actually, the main key to OKC's success was SGA sticking with them. I remember thinking when they were shite that they were wasting his prime. Well, they un-shited themselves pretty quickly.

 

[wizenheimer]

Actually, the main key to OKC's success was SGA sticking with them. I remember thinking when they were shite that they were wasting his prime. Well, they un-shited themselves pretty quickly.

OKC maxed SGA's rookie contract extension a year before he was to be an RFA

they then maxed out his veteran contract extension 2 years before he was to be a UFA.

those two contract extensions total 445M....that's right, 445M. There was never a threat of SGA departing

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

So: I'm interested in two separate questions.
1. Who do you think will win in the Spurs/OKC series?
2. Whom do you want to win it?
(Maybe the nice mods can add a poll to this thread?)

Anyway, I'm kind of torn on both. On the one hand, the Spurs won the majority of their meetings this season. On the other, the playoffs are different, and OKC just has insane depth. And as regards the other question, while I love me some Wemby, I also hate the fact that the Spurs basically lucked into three great players with high picks, whereas OKC's only high pick was Chet. No doubt San Antonio is a dynasty in the making, but...



Whoever wins, I want the Eastern Conference to get the title this year, and I hope it's the Knicks, because of Josh Hart. (Actually, all the Villanova boys seem nice.)

 

[blazerkor]

So: I'm interested in two separate questions.
1. Who do you think will win in the Spurs/OKC series?
2. Whom do you want to win it?
(Maybe the nice mods can add a poll to this thread?)

Anyway, I'm kind of torn on both. On the one hand, the Spurs won the majority of their meetings this season. On the other, the playoffs are different, and OKC just has insane depth. And as regards the other question, while I love me some Wemby, I also hate the fact that the Spurs basically lucked into three great players with high picks, whereas OKC's only high pick was Chet. No doubt San Antonio is a dynasty in the making, but...



Whoever wins, I want the Eastern Conference to get the title this year, and I hope it's the Knicks, because of Josh Hart. (Actually, all the Villanova boys seem nice.)

I don't have a prefference. I don't even care who wins it all this year out of the Spurs, Thunder, Knicks or Cavs.

I do think the Thunder beat the Spurs in a hard fought series and then I think the Thunder take the finals in 5 or maybe 6 games.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I was rooting for Detroit, but of the 4 remaining teams, I would prefer OKC to win it again. I enjoy watching Knicks fans suffer, and I dislike any team with Harden. SA will be hard to beat in the near future, so I am in no hurry to see them win it all.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

What the actual fuck!?

 

[Everything Beagle]

What the actual fuck!?

Media loves lickin’ boots.

 

[inconceivable]

Of the remaining 4 team's starters, do we want any of them? If so, we want that team to not win. I'm talking realistic players

 

[wizenheimer]

Of the remaining 4 team's starters, do we want any of them? If so, we want that team to not win. I'm talking realistic players

you had to go and ruin the question by adding "realistic"

 

[bigbailes]

So: I'm interested in two separate questions.
1. Who do you think will win in the Spurs/OKC series?
2. Whom do you want to win it?
(Maybe the nice mods can add a poll to this thread?)

1. I still think the Thunder win the series but my guess before it started was OKC in 7 and I think that holds true.
2. It's not so much who I want to WIN the series but who I want to LOSE the series and that's the SAN ANTONIO SPURS! I can't tell you how many people down here in South Texas are acting Monday was the start of their season. The entitlement that these people have as a small market NBA team is out of control, they are so extremely spoiled and I hate it when they win.

If we are picking through all four teams, I guess I'd say Cleveland but I'm very agnostic towards them, I dislike the Thunder a little more, I enjoy the Knicks fans agony so they would be 3rd and obviously as stated above the Spurs are the team I least want to win.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Here's my prediction: OKC trades for Zach Edey. They're probably going to let Hartenstein go for money reasons, but they would love somebody as tall as Wemby but much heavier.

Why would Memphis give him up? Because OKC has a shit ton of assets and can overpay (like the Knicks for Bridges).

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Note that the run of new champions every year is continuing. GO KNICKS!

 

[Everything Beagle]

Here's my prediction: OKC trades for Zach Edey. They're probably going to let Hartenstein go for money reasons, but they would love somebody as tall as Wemby but much heavier.

Why would Memphis give him up? Because OKC has a shit ton of assets and can overpay (like the Knicks for Bridges).

And it’s not like Memphis needs him for a deep playoff run

 

[bigbailes]

Here's my prediction: OKC trades for Zach Edey. They're probably going to let Hartenstein go for money reasons, but they would love somebody as tall as Wemby but much heavier.

Why would Memphis give him up? Because OKC has a shit ton of assets and can overpay (like the Knicks for Bridges).

It's looking like it will be OKC and SA battling for the next handful of seasons, so I'd guess everything the Thunder do will be seen with an eye towards at least slowing down Wembanyama and I'm not sure how Edey helps accomplish that. Let's be honest, no one is stopping this genetic freak unless it's him stopping himself but Edey doesn't have the foot speed to keep up with Wemby and it seems like he's more bothered by shorter, stronger guys that can get under his center of gravity.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

It's looking like it will be OKC and SA battling for the next handful of seasons, so I'd guess everything the Thunder do will be seen with an eye towards at least slowing down Wembanyama and I'm not sure how Edey helps accomplish that. Let's be honest, no one is stopping this genetic freak unless it's him stopping himself but Edey doesn't have the foot speed to keep up with Wemby and it seems like he's more bothered by shorter, stronger guys that can get under his center of gravity.

Edey can't stop Wemby, but the reverse is also true. Edey can score over Wemby and he can "defend" Wemby by drawing fouls. You want to stop Wemby being able to roam around and the best way to do that is to anchor him to the post, because while he's otherworldly at defending against 1-4, he's not at defending against big strong centers. Push him under the basket and dunk on him.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Another possibility would be getting Steven Adams (beloved ex-OKC, who showed up to watch them play the Spurs) back.