Would you guys trade Aldridge for Westbrook?

[PHXBlazer1]

Pure hypothetical. But there's already been rumblings about Durant/Westbrook not being able to coexist longterm in OKC. Logically, they'd look to NOH for CP3 first. But for the sake of conversation, would you guys trade a package centered around LA for a resigned Westbrook?

Like so many other things the question is can Oden stay healthy? But if he can, I think I'd go to war with Westbrook/Matthews/Batum/Crash/Oden with Roy/Patty/CJ/MLE(Landry?) off the bench.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I don't know that I like Westbrook as a lead guard for us. A better Blanky might be fine. I'd think hard about LMA for Curry and Biedrins if it was the 18/8 LMA...but probably still wouldn't pull the trigger. There's a LaMonster in there somewhere, and maybe if Roy's not on the court he can stay out to play.

 

[Rhal]

You don't trade Big for Small especially when you lack depth at Big.

 

[magnifier661]

Westbrook? Man that is a tough call! He seems like an all-star version of J.R. Smith. Or a poorman's Rose. Both would be awesome! Truly awesome! But a big for a guard is somewhat troubling for me, especially since we are already thin at the position.

 

[e_blazer]

No. Quality big men are a harder commodity to obtain than guards.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

No, then we wouldn't have a Power Forward.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

I agree with the big for small thing. But man. If Oden was healthy next year and we had the chance to make the deal around the deadline I think I'd pull the trigger. He's the closest thing to Derrick Rose in the league. And still so young. So quick and athletic, improving jumpshot, big strong PG. I love LA but I think Westbrook has the higher ceiling.

 

[Ghost Pepper]

No Westbrook thinks he's the man at the expense of his TEAM! Example the 3 OT game against the grizzle where he took two of the final shot in two OT's. I do think OKC should look to get rid of him for say Parker because KD shouldn't have to ask for the damn ball. Right now I think Westbrooks ego needs to come down a notch.

 

[RR7]

I wouldn't only because I still don't think building around a PG is your best bet.

A trade I do think makes sense some for both sides, however, would be something around Westbrook for Rondo. Who says no to that first?

 

[Minstrel]

I'd consider it. He made a huge leap forward this year and is still only 22. His Assist Rate is shockingly high. If Oden were to return one day, Westbrook would make a better complement to him.

The reason I might not do it is that Aldridge has more impact on defense. But I'm not sure it is enough.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

I agree that he thinks he's the man. And I was baffled at some of the late game possessions recently where he just ballhogged it and put up some prayer while the NBA's leading scorer stood and watched. But at the same time, with the Roy situation, that's why I think I'd make the move. Russ has the alpha dog personality, which we lack. And I think he's good enough to be one on a contender. Let's face it, we're not goin anywhere with LaMarcus as the best player, IMO.

 

[mook]

Westbrook is kind of a ball hog at times. If he can't deliver the ball to a guy like Durant who stands about 6 inches over the guys guarding him on the perimeter, can he do it for Oden in a crowded paint?

Still, though, he's so damned young. He's only in his third year. And it's not like he never passes. He gets 8 assists a game. And although his three point shot isn't great, it's not Andre Miller-bad.

It's kind of the same question as when I asked about Deron Williams earlier. Both elite PG's. Williams is a better shooter and team player, but Westbrook is younger and more athletic.

Now I'm not sure I'd trade either for Aldridge, but I'd definitely have to think about it.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

And let me just add that I've never been much of a Westbrook fan. But these playoffs have changed my tune on him. Holy shit, that dude is good. When you have a guy who can beat anyone off the dribble and get to the rim, it opens up so many opportunities for everyone else. End pipedream./

 

[magnifier661]

Westbrook is kind of a ball hog at times. If he can't deliver the ball to a guy like Durant who stands about 6 inches over the guys guarding him on the perimeter, can he do it for Oden in a crowded paint?

Still, though, he's so damned young. He's only in his third year. And it's not like he never passes. He gets 8 assists a game. And although his three point shot isn't great, it's not Andre Miller-bad.

It's kind of the same question as when I asked about Deron Williams earlier. Both elite PG's. Williams is a better shooter and team player, but Westbrook is younger and more athletic.

Now I'm not sure I'd trade either for Aldridge, but I'd definitely have to think about it.

Westbrook maybe a better player over Williams, but I would much rather have Williams than Westbrook. Williams was really good at setting up Boozer, so him feeding the big fellas won't need to be forced. Does that make me crazy?

 

[Masbee]

I agree that he thinks he's the man. And I was baffled at some of the late game possessions recently where he just ballhogged it and put up some prayer while the NBA's leading scorer stood and watched. But at the same time, with the Roy situation, that's why I think I'd make the move. Russ has the alpha dog personality, which we lack. And I think he's good enough to be one on a contender. Let's face it, we're not goin anywhere with LaMarcus as the best player, IMO.

Maybe so, but I have a REAL REAL REAL BIG problem with what I recently witnessed from Westrbrook.

Westbrook is a very good scorer. Durant is arguably the best scorer in the NBA right now.

I watch Westbrook FREEZE OUT Durant during long stretches of the last couple playoff games and particularly the 4th quarter of game 4 when Westbrook played 1 on 5 ball for much of the time pounding holes in the hardwood.

That was some fugly, messed up basketball.

Westbrook will likely get better. But there is no guarantee of that. Man, if he can't figure out that Durant needs to get the ball, what is he going to think when he is supposed to be setting up lesser scorers on his teams?

Also, I agree with the others, we simply can't trade big for small right now, we are too short of bigs.

 

[Ghost Pepper]

All I can say is LA and KD on the same team would be very hard to defend.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

My one-sentence description of Westbrook is: "pint-sized LeBron James without the passing skills." Clearly he's not really a PG, but that could be okay so long as you build the entire team around him like the Sixers that made it to the finals with Iverson. But I wouldn't want to take on that project, and they wouldn't want LaMarcus, because they have a young star-in-the-making in Ibaka at the PF.

I think the Thunder should offer Westbrook either for John Wall or for the rights to Kyrie Irving, so long as they're convinced that each of those is a better PG. Or Deron Williams, of course, but that would just be unfair on the rest of the league.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Maybe so, but I have a REAL REAL REAL BIG problem with what I recently witnessed from Westrbrook.

Westbrook is a very good scorer. Durant is arguably the best scorer in the NBA right now.

I watch Westbrook FREEZE OUT Durant during long stretches of the last couple playoff games and particularly the 4th quarter of game 4 when Westbrook played 1 on 5 ball for much of the time pounding holes in the hardwood.

Agreed. Durant's got to be thinking fondly of last Summer when everyone realized that their job was to defend and then give the ball to him on offense. And that's why Westbrook didn't get as many minutes as perhaps his talent demanded. (But Kevin Love got exactly the right amount. Sorry, couldn't resist.)

 

[magnifier661]

My one-sentence description of Westbrook is: "pint-sized LeBron James without the passing skills." Clearly he's not really a PG, but that could be okay so long as you build the entire team around him like the Sixers that made it to the finals with Iverson. But I wouldn't want to take on that project, and they wouldn't want LaMarcus, because they have a young star-in-the-making in Ibaka at the PF.

I think the Thunder should offer Westbrook either for John Wall or for the rights to Kyrie Irving, so long as they're convinced that each of those is a better PG. Or Deron Williams, of course, but that would just be unfair on the rest of the league.

Wow, I didn't think of the Deron Williams thing. I mean Deron doesn't want to be in NJ, in fact i saw that someone posted he may just play in Europe. I have no doubt that NJ would foam at the mouth for a swap of guards. That would seriously make the Thunder an instant favorite to win it all.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

And let me just add that I've never been much of a Westbrook fan. But these playoffs have changed my tune on him. Holy shit, that dude is good. When you have a guy who can beat anyone off the dribble and get to the rim, it opens up so many opportunities for everyone else. End pipedream./

You're confusing him with Derek Rose. Who has less talented teammates but a lot better record.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

Aldridge/Miller/Babbitt for Westbrook/Ibaka? I can dream right? And no I didn't do any salary cap calculations.

 

[mook]

Agreed. Durant's got to be thinking fondly of last Summer when everyone realized that their job was to defend and then give the ball to him on offense. And that's why Westbrook didn't get as many minutes as perhaps his talent demanded. (But Kevin Love got exactly the right amount. Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Thanks for reminding me of that team. It was kind of one-dimensional with Durant doing so much of the heavy lifting, especially considering how many other talented guys there were on that team. But it just kept fucking working.

Still, it's not like Durant is really getting frozen out. He's getting 20 shots/game in the playoffs.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

You're confusing him with Derek Rose. Who has less talented teammates but a lot better record.

You're kidding right? But he is the closest thing to D-Rose.

 

[Minstrel]

My one-sentence description of Westbrook is: "pint-sized LeBron James without the passing skills." Clearly he's not really a PG

I think you're going by how he appears rather than the actual results. This last season, he had a 42.7% Assist Rate, which means he assisted on 42.7% of his team's baskets. That's an unbelievably elite Assist Rate. The season before, it was 38.7%, which is still great.

He might look like a scorer who's uninterested in passing, but he actually creates a lot for his teammates. He actually compares extremely well to Derrick Rose as an athletic, scoring point guard who creates for teammates a lot.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I read that DWILL likes living in manhattan and wants to stay with the Nets if they add another star. He was injured this year, but is still the 2nd best PG in the league IMO.

Rose is #1 no doubt.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

He's averaging nearly 30 FGA's per game in this series. He is not a PG.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

He averaged more points, assists, and rebounds than Andre Miller. Is Miller a PG?

 

[B-Roy]

Westbrook is better than Rose in my opinion. Same athleticism, better rebounding, better defender. Swap Rose with Westbrook and people would be having the same complaints about Rose while Westbrook would be MVP.

People are naturally criticizing Westbrook because he's playing alongside the best scorer in the NBA, and they would be right about that. But it terms of pure talent, I think Westbrook is close to Durant, and probably better than every guard in the league except Wade.

So would I do it? Yeah, I probably would. We would have a gaping hole at the bigs though, so it would have to be followed up with more trades.

 

[Minstrel]

He's averaging nearly 30 FGA's per game in this series. He is not a PG.

He's assisting on over a third of his team's baskets in this year's playoffs. He is a point guard.

 

[Masbee]

I think you're going by how he appears rather than the actual results. This last season, he had a 42.7% Assist Rate, which means he assisted on 42.7% of his team's baskets. That's an unbelievably elite Assist Rate. The season before, it was 38.7%, which is still great.

He might look like a scorer who's uninterested in passing, but he actually creates a lot for his teammates. He actually compares extremely well to Derrick Rose as an athletic, scoring point guard who creates for teammates a lot.

Except when it came to the Memphis series during crunch time. Then, he changed. Don't know why or what is up, but it was weird and disturbing. In a way, it was like an All-Star player who chokes in the playoffs with their shooting percentage plummeting, unforced turnovers, blown layups, etc. Westbrook "choked" by forgetting about team offense and his team's best player.