HYPOTHETICALLY, Is Westbrook Worth BKN Picks + Chance At Max FA?

[Phantom255x]

First off, NO, I'm not saying he's definitely available this summer, because he is likely NOT.

But JUST PRETEND OKC have a first round exit, and Westbrook is essentially an expiring (player option 2018-2019). OKC decide they aren't winning anything, and they decide just to listen in on offers. 

Assuming he's open to a long term commitment with Boston, would you pull the trigger on something like both BKN Picks (even if this year's lands #1), some players, and bring Westbrook over here?

Getting him also means NO WAY we can sign a max FA even if Bradley and/or Crowder are dealt in the deal, since he's making like 29M/Year as it is, and probably means KO is gone too.

Basically, do you think Westbrook added to this team with a good chunk of this core (IT - maybe, Horford, Smart, Brown, etc.)  can win a championship? Adding him also means no Fultz/Ball/Jackson or chance at Hayward/Griffin, and that's basically our "championship team" to roll with.

Again, this is just a "pretend scenario" and in no way am I advocating we trade for him or suggesting he's available. I just want to hear some opinions and what you guys think.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Nah because I think he's a ball hog and it would be too hard to win a championship with him

[Moranis]

Assuming the trade is just the BKN picks (basically absorb the contract into cap space) then yeah I think I do it if he commits to at a minimum pick up the option.  Because you still can move some of the gourd depth for help down low. If you start adding in other players and what not then it is a lot more questionable on whether it is worth it.

[Kaz]

Naw, I don't see him and IT jelling well TBH.

[chiken Green]

We would have to build an Allen Iverson type of Team around him.. Bunch of defenders and rebounders..  His style of play is fun but It Doesn't win Chips..  and I wonder how many real free Agents would want to play with a guy who needs that kind of usage.

[Neurotic Guy]

Idk, but thinking in a vacuum I'd prefer to build around Westbrook than around the very good, not great 3 of Horford, IT and Hayward.

[Phantom255x]

Idk, but thinking in a vacuum I'd prefer to build around Westbrook than around the very good, not great 3 of Horford, IT and Hayward.

Eh, idk, depends who is with Westbrook honestly.

If it's Westbrook + a bunch of nobodies and rookies, then that's basically another OKC team going nowhere even in the future lol.

[KGs Knee]

Ugh....zero chance Russ and IT can fit with each other.  So IT would have to go, but what do we realistically think his trade value is?  I seriously doubt we can recoup fair value for IT in a trade, due to his contract situation.

And none of that even factors in that I really don't like Russ, or his me-first play style.  He's a selfish stat padder.  If people got annoyed with Rondo hunting assists wait until you watch 82 games of Russ eschewing the proper play for the sake his own stats.

[Darío SpanishFan]

Idk, but thinking in a vacuum I'd prefer to build around Westbrook than around the very good, not great 3 of Horford, IT and Hayward.

If you give almost everything you have for Westbrook, you've nothing left to build around. That's the problem (I'm assuming your point, a TOP-5 player is better than three top-40 players, but...).

[Moranis]

Idk, but thinking in a vacuum I'd prefer to build around Westbrook than around the very good, not great 3 of Horford, IT and Hayward.

If you give almost everything you have for Westbrook, you've nothing left to build around. That's the problem (I'm assuming your point, a TOP-5 player is better than three top-40 players, but...).

if you give up both BKN picks you wouldn't need to give much else (if anything at all)

[hpantazo]

Idk, but thinking in a vacuum I'd prefer to build around Westbrook than around the very good, not great 3 of Horford, IT and Hayward.

If you give almost everything you have for Westbrook, you've nothing left to build around. That's the problem (I'm assuming your point, a TOP-5 player is better than three top-40 players, but...).

if you give up both BKN picks you wouldn't need to give much else (if anything at all)

Well, you do need to send relatively equal salary in return.

[Phantom255x]

Idk, but thinking in a vacuum I'd prefer to build around Westbrook than around the very good, not great 3 of Horford, IT and Hayward.

If you give almost everything you have for Westbrook, you've nothing left to build around. That's the problem (I'm assuming your point, a TOP-5 player is better than three top-40 players, but...).

if you give up both BKN picks you wouldn't need to give much else (if anything at all)

Well, you do need to send relatively equal salary in return.

Probably someone like Bradley or someone similar.

Then they pretty much absorb his contract, though that means no other major moves can be made after that due to cap constraints I believe.

[IDreamCeltics]

First off, NO, I'm not saying he's definitely available this summer, because he is likely NOT.

But JUST PRETEND OKC have a first round exit, and Westbrook is essentially an expiring (player option 2018-2019). OKC decide they aren't winning anything, and they decide just to listen in on offers. 

Assuming he's open to a long term commitment with Boston, would you pull the trigger on something like both BKN Picks (even if this year's lands #1), some players, and bring Westbrook over here?

Getting him also means NO WAY we can sign a max FA even if Bradley and/or Crowder are dealt in the deal, since he's making like 29M/Year as it is, and probably means KO is gone too.

Basically, do you think Westbrook added to this team with a good chunk of this core (IT - maybe, Horford, Smart, Brown, etc.)  can win a championship? Adding him also means no Fultz/Ball/Jackson or chance at Hayward/Griffin, and that's basically our "championship team" to roll with.

Again, this is just a "pretend scenario" and in no way am I advocating we trade for him or suggesting he's available. I just want to hear some opinions and what you guys think.

IT is the starting point in any Westbrook trade I'm guessing - OKC maxing IT makes a lot of sense since they're a small market team and they routinely get passed over by max level free agents and IT has been routinely passed around by NBA teams not wanting to commit to him. The Thunder already have a reasonable facsimile of Bradley in Oladipo so Bradley has no real value to them in any trade. but if you dangle both Brooklyn picks and one or two of Brown, Smart, and Crowder you probably have them at least considering a deal.  POT SWEETENER ALERT!!!! Tyler Zeller's salary makes the salaries work.

OKC's team would look something like this:
Starters:
IT
Oladipo
Crowder
Sabonis/Taj Gibson
Steven Adams

Bench:
Jaylen Brown
Doug McDermott
Kanter
Roberson
Cam Payne

Add in 2 high lottery picks to restock the cupboard with, which is probably even more appealing for a team that hit on Durant, Westbrook, and Harden with the last three trips they made into the top 8 spots of the draft, and you might very well just have yourself a deal. 

If I were the Celtics I'd still do that in a heartbeat.  You'd have Horford/Westbrook/Bradley to build around, plus whoever is left of Smart/Crowder/Brown (probably Smart) with Yabs/Nader/Zizic/Young/Rozier hopefully producing at least one competent NBA roleplayer between the 5 of them and you still have your own first rounders for the next two years plus three first rounders in 2019, plus you have 4 second rounders in 2017 (basically you still have more picks then you have roster spots available for young players).

Westbrook gives you the closest thing to Kobe/Jordan we've seen.  He's unstoppable. He just put up a triple-double FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON and averaged 30 points a game while doing it and by the way his team is 45-34 and second place in their division.   


   

[Somebody]

If we're giving up IT we're most likely getting the deal done with him+17 brk pick and some salary filler like Zeller and Anir to match salaries. Westbrook is amazing but guys forget IT is currently an MVP candidate

[Darío SpanishFan]

Idk, but thinking in a vacuum I'd prefer to build around Westbrook than around the very good, not great 3 of Horford, IT and Hayward.

If you give almost everything you have for Westbrook, you've nothing left to build around. That's the problem (I'm assuming your point, a TOP-5 player is better than three top-40 players, but...).

if you give up both BKN picks you wouldn't need to give much else (if anything at all)

Averaging a triple-double for the first time in 50 years, and considering some people proposed to give both picks for other players with lesser value, I think you need to offer more, only in contract value (Zeller apart) but also in assets.

Westbrook (with other 5-6 players) can be the closest to untouchable I can think of.