OT: What will happen to OKC now?

[Further]

Durant gone, Westbrook likely following in a year. As a Blazer fan, I loved our battles over the years with the Sonics, and then they went to OKC I was sickened to see our NW rival leave. Since then, I've taken joy in every OKC misfortune, but they have been a very successful franchise with great attendance. Now, they are losing one of their superstars and likely both after next year. I can't imagine they won't be doomed, the dregs of the league. Will they get enough quality to field a decent team? Will their fans continue to support them if they are a 23 win team? Will they be able to stave off doom by getting Westbrook to remain?

 

[fumanchu]

A single tear runs down my cheek..

 

[blue32]

Honestly who cares

 

[Chris Craig]

OKC welcome to mediocrity

 

[ripcityboy]

Usually I hate our Seattle brethern but I'd honestly be doing chest bumps and high fives with them right now.

 

[maxiep]

Now is the time for choosing. Anyone can cheer for a winning team. Who cheers for the Thunder now will be the real fans. My guess is the OKC fans stay rabid.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Apparently they're going to ask Westbrook to sign an extension, and if he doesn't, they're trading him. If Ibaka is any indication they should get good value. Philly should offer just about everybody for him. Celtics should offer the Brooklyn pick and Isaiah Thomas and change.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

They start building african american friendly night life to attack more free agents.

Or they ask Paul Allen to buy the team and move it to Seattle.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Apparently they're going to ask Westbrook to sign an extension, and if he doesn't, they're trading him. If Ibaka is any indication they should get good value. Philly should offer just about everybody for him. Celtics should offer the Brooklyn pick and Isaiah Thomas and change.

Why philly? He probably leaves after the year if its them. Boston i could see, if they get a third star next to westbrook and horford.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Maybe we can join forces with them and become the Portland City Trail Thunder... We would get to fuck over those two basic bitches who went to Texas.

Dame / CJ
Russ / Turner
Crabbe / Harkless
Aminu / Sabonis
Adams / Kanter

GET IT DONE NEIL

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

OKC should jump on that

 

[Schilly]

People think Portland has a hard time recruiting young athletes to Portland... Gonna go on a limb and say with no prebuilt team OKC is going to be in FA hell.

 

[Schilly]

People think Portland has a hard time recruiting young athletes to Portland... Gonna go on a limb and say with no prebuilt team OKC is going to be in FA hell.

 

[TBpup]

Why would the Lakers give up a ton of talent now when they can get Russell for free next season?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

People think Portland has a hard time recruiting young athletes to Portland... Gonna go on a limb and say with no prebuilt team OKC is going to be in FA hell.

They always have been! But they've been SO GOOD at drafting it hasn't mattered.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Feel a bit bad for Oladipo. He thought he was going to a better team.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Why would the Lakers give up a ton of talent now when they can get Russell for free next season?

By "free" you mean "about $140 million", right?

But why would Westbrook want to go to the Lakers? They haven't landed a good FA in years.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

You know what'd be REALLY funny? If San Antonio traded Aldridge to get Westbrook.

It wouldn't happen, of course, Aldridge is too old now... But wouldn't that be SWEET?

 

[Pinwheel1]

The only way the Lakers could keep Westbrook is if they have good players, so they can't dump too many assets.
The Lakers can get him next year anyways with cap space AND retain their young players. So I say the Lakers say no.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

By "free" you mean "about $140 million", right?

But why would Westbrook want to go to the Lakers? They haven't landed a good FA in years.

All the more reason for them not to make that trade. If Westbrook wants to be there, he'll go as a free agent next year. If he doesn't want to be there, then they'd lose him in free agency if they traded for him.

Only advantage to LA in trading for Westbrook would be in picking up his bird rights. I don't think those are worth consecutive #2 overall picks.

 

[drexlersdad]

Time for presti to earn his paycheck for once

 

[Rastapopoulos]

The only way the Lakers could keep Westbrook is if they have good players, so they can't dump too many assets.
The Lakers can get him next year anyways with cap space AND retain their young players. So I say the Lakers say no.

What if they know that OKC is going to trade him and they risk losing him to the Celtics? If I were them I wouldn't be confident about landing any FAs ever again.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Only advantage to LA in trading for Westbrook would be in picking up his bird rights. I don't think those are worth consecutive #2 overall picks.

I dunno - I think it'd be worth Hasheem Thabeet and Michael Beasley...

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I dunno - I think it'd be worth Hasheem Thabeet and Michael Beasley...

You's a funny guy...

 

[Pinwheel1]

What if they know that OKC is going to trade him and they risk losing him to the Celtics? If I were them I wouldn't be confident about landing any FAs ever again.

You make a good argument, and I actually thought about that scenario before I posted it.
But based on the personality of Westbrook, and where he grew up, and where he went to school.......Westbrook seems like he would want to play in "Hollywood".

 

[Rastapopoulos]

You make a good argument, and I actually thought about that scenario before I posted it.
But based on the personality of Westbrook, and where he grew up, and where he went to school.......Westbrook seems like he would want to play in "Hollywood".

That may be so, but I'll be happy to see Danny Ainge roll the dice. What if he offered:
Isaiah Thomas
Marcus Smart (who played in OK)
Jaylen Brown
Brooklyn's likely top 3 pick for the stacked draft of 2017?

Then he'd have Horford, Westbrook, Bradley, Crowder, a shitload of cap space and the best young coach in the league.

 

[BlazerCaravan]