OKC Trade Idea (Not w/Celtics)

[BballTim]

Kevin durant needs more shots? Like how many 40? If anything he needs less shots

  Why would Durant need less shots? The only player in the league that plays more than 15 mpg and has a higher TS% is Tyson Chandler.

[Who]

I think the trade is a good idea for Memphis.

They need to blow up that team and start over. They are no longer a title contender and Z-Bo is getting up there in years. They don't have enough quality trade assets to make a major move in the short term and Randolph's value is only going to decline from here on out. I don't see a way for them to revive that team.

They have already moved Rudy Gay. Zach Randolph should be the next one to go. I think this Z-Bo/M.Gasol power play era is coming to a close for Memphis. They just haven't realized it yet.

So, for me, the question is would you rather build around Marc Gasol and Mike Conley or Russell Westbrook long term? I definitely choose Westbrook. Then I start dismantling the rest of the squad and rebuilding around him.

Why do they need to blow it up? They are 22 - 9 since the Rudy Gay trade (as of a couple days ago).

Financially they are pretty cash strapped but they are a better team without Gay.

They are not a title contender anymore.

I don't see how they can get back there either. Not enough trade assets. Zach Randolph is getting older and declining. The clock is ticking and they are running out of time.

They have a large amount of trade exceptions (like 12m) and some cap room coming available, they could add some solid talent from a team looking to free up some cap space and aren't looking to take salary back in return (Indy- Granger? LAL-Pau? Gordon-NO? etc.). They added Ed Davis who has some solid up-side and I liked the little that I saw from Tony Wroten (although he is probably a long shot at developing into something).

I wouldn't say they are dead in the water. They have potential to be a solid contender (not a favorite but they could do damage). If they can't add anything and don't improve much next season, summer 2014 is when I'd look to rebuild. Moving Z-Bo for some value (not huge, but some) shouldn't be hard and that would put them in a good cap position to chase younger stars.

Too early to give up IMO.

I had forgotten about the trade exception. I don't think you are allowed to combine them in a deal though. So it is one mid-sized one at $7.5 million and a bunch of tiddly little ones. The $7.5 million should be able to net them a strong rotation player but only a rotation / role player.

The Grizzlies do not have any cap space for a few seasons when Z-Bo, M.Gasol, M.Conley and T.Prince's contracts all run out in 2015. Until then those four guys are on the books for just under $50 million and the other contracts there take them to $60 million next summer and $55 million the summer after. So it looks like they will only have the MLE to add to their roster.

Neither avenue suggests the capacity to add another (much needed) star talent to their team.

[Who]

I think the Grizzlies now are in the same bracket in the Western Conference where the Atlanta Hawks were in the Eastern Conference for the last couple of seasons only with less trade assets (than the Hawks) to make a move.

A 4th-6th seed that will be sent home in the first or second round of the playoffs. No real chance at competing for an NBA Championship.

Without the assets necessary to bring more star quality to the roster and with the clock ticking down on Z-Bo's career, I think the Grizzlies should look past the immediate future and instead contemplate how best to retool around Marc Gasol and Mike Conley for the next 5-7 years.

[CelticsFan9]

Kevin durant needs more shots? Like how many 40? If anything he needs less shots

You do know he doesn't even average the most shot attempts on his team, right?

[Moranis]

Since when does OKC not have a serious chance at a title?

[connor]

I think the Grizzlies now are in the same bracket in the Western Conference where the Atlanta Hawks were in the Eastern Conference for the last couple of seasons only with less trade assets (than the Hawks) to make a move.

A 4th-6th seed that will be sent home in the first or second round of the playoffs. No real chance at competing for an NBA Championship.

Without the assets necessary to bring more star quality to the roster and with the clock ticking down on Z-Bo's career, I think the Grizzlies should look past the immediate future and instead contemplate how best to retool around Marc Gasol and Mike Conley for the next 5-7 years.

Haha I almost wrote the exact opposite in my previous post. I think the two situations are very similar, but I'd say the Grizzlies are in a slightly better position than the Hawks in that I think they actually have the potential to knock off some of the top teams in the West, especially if they can add another strong rotation player this offseason and a guy like Ed Davis makes a big jump (in which case their inside presence gives them a real advantage). That makes them have a real chance of coming out of the West (with some luck).

Don't get me wrong I get your point about looking to the future (5-7 years) and making smart decisions. If I'm their GM I am heavily shopping Randolph this offseason. He makes a ton of money and is still at a point in his career where a team could be willing to give up a lot of value for 2 years of of Z-bo while he still has it going on. If I could get talent to pair with Gasol and Conley and some serious cap savings that might not make the team better for 2013/2014, but real contenders soon after I probably pull the trigger (depending on the deal of course).

I just have a hard time thinking a team like the Grizzlies, a competitive 4-6 seed (and once Duncan retires, if he ever retires the probably can climb as high as 3/4) needs to rebuild now. I mean it has to be a consideration, but I think they'd have a hard time telling their fans that they've decided to punt and hope they can develop guys to be better in a couple years.

[pearljammer10]

I think the trade is a good idea for Memphis.

They need to blow up that team and start over. They are no longer a title contender and Z-Bo is getting up there in years. They don't have enough quality trade assets to make a major move in the short term and Randolph's value is only going to decline from here on out. I don't see a way for them to revive that team.

They have already moved Rudy Gay. Zach Randolph should be the next one to go. I think this Z-Bo/M.Gasol power play era is coming to a close for Memphis. They just haven't realized it yet.

So, for me, the question is would you rather build around Marc Gasol and Mike Conley or Russell Westbrook long term? I definitely choose Westbrook. Then I start dismantling the rest of the squad and rebuilding around him.

Why do they need to blow it up? They are 22 - 9 since the Rudy Gay trade (as of a couple days ago).

Financially they are pretty cash strapped but they are a better team without Gay.

They are not a title contender anymore.

I don't see how they can get back there either. Not enough trade assets. Zach Randolph is getting older and declining. The clock is ticking and they are running out of time.

They have a large amount of trade exceptions (like 12m) and some cap room coming available, they could add some solid talent from a team looking to free up some cap space and aren't looking to take salary back in return (Indy- Granger? LAL-Pau? Gordon-NO? etc.). They added Ed Davis who has some solid up-side and I liked the little that I saw from Tony Wroten (although he is probably a long shot at developing into something).

I wouldn't say they are dead in the water. They have potential to be a solid contender (not a favorite but they could do damage). If they can't add anything and don't improve much next season, summer 2014 is when I'd look to rebuild. Moving Z-Bo for some value (not huge, but some) shouldn't be hard and that would put them in a good cap position to chase younger stars.

Too early to give up IMO.

I can see both sides of the argument but I have to go with the not giving up yet argument. The Grizz aren't as cash strapped as I thought they were, even though they aren't in great financial flexibility area either. Randolph makes 17.8 next year then has a player option for 16.5. Conley is on a great contract and Prince is a good value on a veteran team for a couple years too.

I wonder what will happen with Tony Allen but has some good young talent, Bayless, Arthur, Davis, Wroten, Daye surrounding their big guns, Conley, Gasol, Randolph, and nice veteran role players Allen, Prince.

I honestly only see 3 "contenders" in the league; Miami, Spurs, and OKC... With the teams that could make a run to the finals but get beat by the better team in seven as Boston, Denver, NYC, Memphis, LAC...

[lightspeed5]

part of the reason kd gets open is because westbrook gets double teamed. not trading a top 3 pg for an overweight gasol.

[SHAQATTACK]

I frankly have ZERO faith OKC can win a Series with healthy HEAT team.

That chance sorta flew out the window with HARDIN being traded....

OKC ..is gonna need Durant to get "MEAN" or get some tuffness if they plan on beating the HEAT.

Durant is is a great scorer , but acts like wuss on defending guys inside ,  6 11 and no defense or paint play.....

OKC needs a Chandler .... Perk is to slow and broken.

[Yogi]

OKC would be as close to a perfect team as possible with this trade. 

Mike Conley  -  True point guard and great at both ends of the floor.
Thabo Sefolosha  -  Lock down perimeter defender who can shoot 3s.
Kevin Durant  -  MVP candidate
Serge Ibaka  -  Athletic Shot blocker and transition scorer
Marc Gasol  -  True center who can stretch the floor and dominate the inside.  Fantastic passer. 
Kevin Martin  -  Sixth man scorer off the bench
Nick Collison  -  Hustle big off the bench

They would only have to upgrade Reggie Jackson and Hasheem Thabeet to have a perfect playoff rotation. 

Conley and Gasol would absolutely dominate the Heat, Durant can match Lebron, Sefolosha and Ibaka would make life very difficult for Wade and Bosh.  This would be like the ultimate nightmare team for the Heat. 

This team has defense, offense, athleticism, size, shooting, half-court offense, transition offense and solid depth.  Honestly it's hard to handpick a better team to win a championship.

[ianboyextreme]

I'd love to watch a Marc-Ibaka-Durant frontcourt. Best in the NBA by a mile, and then you add Conley, who is a better floor general than Westchuck? You can have Sefolosha or Kevin Martin with them, and you'll only need a bench. If I'm OKC I'd throw the Raptors pick, but even with that I doubt Memphis does it.

Zach + Perk is not a good idea, Westbrook + TA is athletic but not very smart guard play. Marc and Z-Bo are Memphis strength, and I doubt they break that.

OKC does it because they have become totally predictable and although elite, i do not believe they can win a title with their current squad. This trade allows Durant to shine and be the uninhibited main option as Jordan, Lebron, Bird, etc. were on their teams.

Memphis does it because they most likely can not win a title with their current squad, so, before fading into mediocrity, they make a trade that brings in an all star point guard and a slew of prospects. I would even throw in the Toronto draft pick. They would be a 50 win team at first, and if the young players develop, possibly a contender down the road.

[ianboyextreme]

Kevin durant needs more shots? Like how many 40? If anything he needs less shots

He averages the same ppg as Carmelo on 4 less shots per game (18). If Durant took 25 shots per game, he could average somewhere in the mid 30's.

[CelticConcourse]

Memphis should not give up Marc Gasol...

OKC should only give up Russell in the right situation, and this isn't it. I still like the Westbrook+KD+Ibaka idea, as well as the Conley+ZBo+Gasol idea...

No deal

[connor]

The more I look at this deal the more I like it for OKC. Check out Yogi's post above for the break down of why it really makes them such a dangerous TEAM.

The improvement of Gasol over Perkins would be absolutely HUGE. Their team becomes so much more versatile and he still has that edge that Perkins hangs his hat on. Same rebounding, more scoring in the low post and he has a good mid-range shot AND he knocks down 80% from the line. Plus he is one of the best big man passers out there, which is going to open up a lot more shots on kick outs.

And then Conley is obviously a step down offensively from Westbrook, but is a much better floor general and with KD, Gasol, Martin, Sefolosha (and himself) that scoring punch is replaced and then some. And the defense improves as well.

Its hard to advocate for a trade when you are sending out the best player, but I would do this if I was OKC. Memphis would probably rather keep Gasol and Conley to bookend their reboot and move Z-bo for more pieces/cap room, but if the Thunder put up Westbrook, Perk, Lamp, PJ3, and Toronto's pick could that be enough return?

With that new OKC lineup I'd have them as favorites over the Heat. I think OKC definitely can win it all as is, but that new lineup is such a better TEAM its a scary thought.

[Moranis]

I actually think the trade is better for both teams if Randolph is included instead of Gasol.  I think Randolph is a better fit with Ibaka and Durant than Gasol is and if I'm Memphis I'd much rather keep Gasol and trade Randolph from a long term perspective.  Memphis could then man the PF with Davis and Arthur while Gasol get his 35 at center and Perk getting the other 13 plus a few minutes where they both play together (so Perk gets in the 16 minute range).