Sources: Thunder prepping for hopeful run at Al Horford, too

[saltlover]

Ilyasova isn't a free agent, but the Thunder could cut him and owe him just $400k versus the $8.4 million he's gonna make next year.

Nope.  He needed to clear waivers by today to not be guaranteed.  Since he hasn't even been released, he can't clear waivers on time.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Kevin Durant, the best thing to has ever happened to Horford apparently.

[CFAN38]

On top of the OKC Horford/Durant rumor the Knicks are said to be getting Noah.

If True this could cause some interesting league wide fall out particularly with the Big Men.


1. Kanter will need to be traded, I cant imagine many teams jumping at the chance to take on his deal. However he was productive in his limited role and is a very good young offensive center. Maybe the Bobcats replace Big Al with Kanter? Blazers could use a post presence? The Bulls have rotational room.

2. Ilyasova, his $8.4 mill is a team option this year. To me he is the perfect place holder PF for the celtics. Not sure what it will take to get him but its an option worth exploring.

3. Horford leaving will probably lead to Howard going to ATL

4. Noah,Howard and Horford being off the table will put a all eyes on Whiteside. I expect the Mavs and Lakers could both max him out.


 

[Endless Paradise]

Ilyasova isn't a free agent, but the Thunder could cut him and owe him just $400k versus the $8.4 million he's gonna make next year.

Nope.  He needed to clear waivers by today to not be guaranteed.  Since he hasn't even been released, he can't clear waivers on time.

Ahh, thought his deadline was the 1st.

[jpotter33]

Well, as most people have already mentioned, first they will have to do some serious cutting to their roster compared to us not doing hardly anything at all, so there's one issue with this.

Second, Horford will want to have to go to OKC to team up with him there instead of in Boston, which is far from a guarantee.

Third, Horford will have to willingly submit to a much less prominent role in the offense in OKC compared to in Boston, which also isn't guaranteed.

Fourth, if they max out Horford AND Durant AND Westbrook next year AND pay Oldadipo what he'll command, they're going to be pretty much screwed with their salary cap, let alone Adams coming up soon.


So, though this does scare me a bit, it's not a slam dunk. Look at the Clippers and all of their max contracts and where it's got them due to not having a proper supporting cast and bench around them. They'll also still be in the West where they'll deal with three other true contenders compared to one in Cleveland in the East, and at least one of those teams seems poised to make another major addition to their roster. I think KD is smart enough to realize these factors versus just teaming up with someone like Horford in Boston with a much easier path to the Finals.

So this is a bit scary if Horford would be willing to accept a lesser role and go there instead of here, but it's also very good news for us since we have the actual space to fit both of them without gutting the roster. So now we know FOR SURE that Horford is on Durant's radar, and I'm guessing that even if they haven't had the meeting yet, he's let them know somehow this is what they'll have to do to keep him. And that's a good sign for us, since we'd be the yardstick by which they were measuring themselves.

[JOMVP]

So then both Durant and Horford will be left with their tail between their legs when Westbrook bolts to LA next year. I think that is the biggest factor here, the OKC roster will be in Flux with no real sustainability with all those contracts. Celtics have a roster built for the future already that can absorb Durant and Horford without losing any of their core players anywhere in the near future. Come on Horford and Durant... we are your smartest destination choice if you want to win for the next several years!

[loco_91]

If the Thunder can unload Kanter, this becomes a real possibility, and it would make a ton of sense for Durant to stay. But that's a big if. Kanter is terrible on defense, and his contract is mammoth. Thunder will have to unload future 1sts to get rid of him, but they should absolutely be willing to do so if it means that they retain Durant.

[i believe in brad]

I think our forward thinking for the last 3 years will prove to be the kicker in our pitch and Horford/Durant ultimately will choose the Celtics.

Almost every other Durant suitor needs to scramble to fit both Horford/Durant, or just Durant in some cases:

OKC - to sign Horford + Horford would need to gut depth on the fly

GSW - to sign Durant would need to gut depth on the fly

SAS - to sign Durant would need to figure out plans for Duncan/Diaw + others(?) on the fly

LAC - would need to get rid of one of Blake/DeAndre/CP3 on the fly

MIA - I don't see how they are appealing at all, question marks everywhere

BOS - been preparing for this moment for 3 years, can sign both Durant + Horford right away and not lose any future flexibility, current core/depth, or future assets.  Set for a long, long time.

Let's hope they see it the same way I do.

[jpotter33]

If the Thunder can unload Kanter, this becomes a real possibility, and it would make a ton of sense for Durant to stay. But that's a big if. Kanter is terrible on defense, and his contract is mammoth. Thunder will have to unload future 1sts to get rid of him, but they should absolutely be willing to do so if it means that they retain Durant.

So mortgage your team's future even more, substantially cut down your roster, handcuff your salary cap with 4 max/near-max deals by next summer, and stay in the ridiculous West with three other true title contenders

OR

Go to a team in the weaker East where they don't have to gut their roster, mortgage their future (which is already twice as bright as OKC's with our assets), or handcuff their salary cap by being able to fit both Durant AND Horford without gutting the roster

[jpotter33]

So the contracts are the following:

Durant (Cap Hold) - 25, 894, 800

Waiters/Foye/Mohammed/Fisher Cap Holds/Morrow Non-Guaranteed - 23, 369, 437

Westbrook - 17, 769, 374

Kanter - 17, 145, 838  (Can't believe Kanter makes the same amount as RW  )

Ilyasova - 8,400, 000

Oladipo - 6, 552, 960

Singler - 4, 837, 500

Collison - 3, 750, 000

Adams - 3, 140, 517

Payne - 2, 112, 480

McGary - 1, 526, 040

Roberson - 2, 183, 072

Huestis - 1, 191, 480

Total - 117, 873, 498

So renouncing their free agents, cap holds, and non-guaranteed contracts other than Durant, they'd have 94, 504, 061 in salaries. They also have Sabonis to sign and empty space cap holds, so if they lose Kanter that puts them at 76, 734, 687, which isn't enough. So then they trade Ilyasova to get them to 68, 334, 687, which still isn't enough. So then they trade Singler to get them to 63, 497, 187.

So you'll have 63, 497, 187 in salaries plus:

Horford - 26, 400, 000

3 empty space cap holds at 547,000 a pop - 1,  641, 000

This leaves them at $91, 538, 187M without yet signing Sabonis. Would they still have enough room to sign the 11th pick in Sabonis (has to be less that $2, 461, 813 if we assume that the cap is set at $94, 000, 000) AND have room for Durant without losing another player?

EDIT: If they wouldn't have to trade anyone else, they'd be left with this roster:

PG: Westbrook, Payne
SG: Roberson, Oladipo
SF: Durant, Huestis
PF: Horford, Collison, McGary
C: Adams, Sabonis

VS our roster

PG: IT, Rozier
SG: Bradley, Smart
SF: Durant, Crowder
PF: Olynyk, Mickey
C: Horford, KO, Zizic

Sure, their starting lineup is a little better, but we also have assets to upgrade that lineup even further with something like Noel. We also have a much, much better bench and supporting cast around our Big-3 of IT/Durant/Horford than their Big-3 of Westbrook/Durant/Horford, we won't handcuff our cap for next year and beyond, we won't mortgage our future of draft picks to open space up, and we're in the easier East. Even with them having Westbrook, there is definitely an argument that our situation is overall better with Durant and Horford than them.

[CelticSooner]

It's very short sighted to sign Singler and Kanter to those deals then ultimately try to get or rid of them a year later. The Thunder don't need Horford. If this is a move simply to appease Durant maybe the C's got a decent shot.