Oklahoma City Thunder 2018-19

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Thunder 20118-19 roster: http://www.espn.com/nba/team/roster/...a-city-thunder

Anticipate adjustments to this initial roster down to 14-15 players.

Oklahoma City Thunder Team Roster

NO. NAME POS AGE HT WT COLLEGE 2018-2019 SALARY
8 Alex Abrines SG 24 6-6 190 $5,455,236
12 Steven Adams C 24 7-0 255 Pittsburgh $24,157,303
7 Carmelo Anthony PF 34 6-8 240 Syracuse $27,928,140
3 Corey Brewer SG 32 6-9 186 Florida
30 Deonte Burton SG 24 6-5 250 Iowa State
-- Hamidou Diallo SG 19 6-5 198 Kentucky
35 PJ Dozier PG 21 6-6 205 South Carolina
2 Raymond Felton PG 34 6-1 205 North Carolina $1,512,601
23 Terrance Ferguson SG 20 6-7 184 $2,118,840
13 Paul George SF 28 6-9 220 Fresno State $30,560,700
9 Jerami Grant SF 24 6-9 220 Syracuse $8,653,847
-- Devon Hall SG 23 6-6 206 Virginia
25 Daniel Hamilton SG 22 6-7 195 Connecticut
-- Kevin Hervey PF 22 6-8 211 Texas-Arlington
34 Josh Huestis SG 26 6-7 230 Stanford
44 Dakari Johnson C 22 7-0 255 Kentucky $1,378,242
3 Nerlens Noel C 24 6-11 220 Kentucky $1,757,429
54 Patrick Patterson PF 29 6-9 230 Kentucky $5,451,600
21 Andre Roberson SG 26 6-7 210 Colorado $10,000,000
15 Kyle Singler SF 30 6-8 228 Duke $4,996,000
0 Russell Westbrook PG 29 6-3 200 UCLA $35,654,150

Coach: Billy Donovan

[Laramie]

Exclude X. Anthony, Burton will probably get that 13th spot:

These guys are under contract:

1. Alex Abrines SG 24 6-6 190 $5,455,236
2. Steven Adams C 24 7-0 255 Pittsburgh $24,157,303
X. Carmelo Anthony PF 34 6-8 240 Syracuse $27,928,140
3. Raymond Felton PG 34 6-1 205 North Carolina $1,512,601
4. Terrance Ferguson SG 20 6-7 184 $2,118,840
5. Paul George SF 28 6-9 220 Fresno State $30,560,700
6. Jerami Grant SF 24 6-9 220 Syracuse $8,653,847
7. Dakari Johnson C 22 7-0 255 Kentucky $1,378,242
8. Nerlens Noel C 24 6-11 220 Kentucky $1,757,429
9. Patrick Patterson PF 29 6-9 230 Kentucky $5,451,600
10. Andre Roberson SG 26 6-7 210 Colorado $10,000,000
11. Kyle Singler SF 30 6-8 228 Duke $4,996,000
12. Russell Westbrook PG 29 6-3 200 UCLA $35,654,150

Should leave the Thunder with one or two spots to work with up to the ASG...

[Bellaboo]

I think Singler will be stretched in the least.

I can see them going after Diallo also.

Burton signed a two way contract last week.

[Teo9969]

Is it possible to stretch only a portion of Anthony's contract?

The problem with stretching Melo is that all of the sudden you have $9.3M on the books you have no recourse to remove. If you can stretch just the $7.9M over $20M, I'm pretty sure that alone would save something like $50M - stretch a bit more depending on whatever else you're planning on bringing in.

[Jersey Boss]

No a team cannot stretch only part of a contract. It has to be the whole remainder of the contract.

[dankrutka]

The problem with stretching Melo is you have $9 million on the books for the next 3 years. It’s not good, but it may be the only option...

[Bellaboo]

Rumors have a deal between the Hawks and Thunder, involving Melo, Schroeder and Muscala.

And i'm sure more to come.

[dankrutka]

Rumors have a deal between the Hawks and Thunder, involving Melo, Schroeder and Miscalla.

It would be nice to see this happen so OKC can get something for Melo, but the rumor is coming from only one guy and he has already been wrong about a Melo trade in the last week and has no track record of breaking trade news. We'll see though.

[Anonymous.]

It really says a lot about Melo that the Thunder will still simply waive him if they can't find a trade partner. How can this dude still have such a stubborn ego? A team is literally willing to say "go away" while still paying $27 million.

[Urbanized]

The would keep Melo if it were JUST the $27 million. The problem is the tax. NOBODY is worth $27 million PLUS nearly $100 million in tax for one year of play. That said, I don't blame him for signing the deal one bit. Straight business move.

[dankrutka]

It really says a lot about Melo that the Thunder will still simply waive him if they can't find a trade partner. How can this dude still have such a stubborn ego? A team is literally willing to say "go away" while still paying $27 million.

I mean, Melo was signed to that contract and the Thunder traded for him AND his contract. What do you want Melo to do?

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^^
Exactly.

[Anonymous.]

I think I wasn't very clear in my post.

The Thunder have stated they are waiving Melo no matter what (trade partner or not). The Thunder could eat the $27 million this season and keep Melo on the roster. But they straight up want him off the team. So much so, that they aren't even willing to keep him, even after paying him.

[jedicurt]

I think I wasn't very clear in my post.

The Thunder have stated they are waiving Melo no matter what (trade partner or not). The Thunder could eat the $27 million this season and keep Melo on the roster. But they straight up want him off the team. So much so, that they aren't even willing to keep him, even after paying him.

but they wouldn't be eating the $27 million... they would be eating more than $100 million to keep him on the team... unless they stretched his contract over a couple of years

[BoulderSooner]

I think I wasn't very clear in my post.

The Thunder have stated they are waiving Melo no matter what (trade partner or not). The Thunder could eat the $27 million this season and keep Melo on the roster. But they straight up want him off the team. So much so, that they aren't even willing to keep him, even after paying him.

but they wouldn't be eating the $27 million... they would be eating more than $100 million to keep him on the team... unless they stretched his contract over a couple of years

this is correct ..

if if was just 27 mil they would keep him stretching his contract saves them 104 million dollars in cash this season

[Anonymous.]

I know this... My post was not about saving the Thunder money. It is about the fact the Thunder would rather have an empty roster spot than keep Melo. The dude is a negative on team impact, and this proves it.

I don't think the Thunder would want to stretch him, those next 2 years will be painful. Thunder ownership is collectively one of the wealthiest in the league, eating the tax this season is the smarter move.

[dankrutka]

I know this... My post was not about saving the Thunder money. It is about the fact the Thunder would rather have an empty roster spot than keep Melo. The dude is a negative on team impact, and this proves it.

I don't think the Thunder would want to stretch him, those next 2 years will be painful. Thunder ownership is collectively one of the wealthiest in the league, eating the tax this season is the smarter move.

You're making a big assumption that the Thunder can just eat a $100+ million in tax on the largest team tax in NBA history. I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but I am sure the owners are unwilling to pay $100+ million in tax. The plan has likely always been to reduce it. This is why Melo will be off the team regardless. If Melo and the tax weren't such massive factors then Thunder might have worked towards an on-the-court solution, but it's a moot point. The Thunder clearly are making a financial decision.

I guess I don't get the "stubborn ego" comment and the Melo hate. Is Melo struggling adjusting his expectations as his skills diminish? Absolutely. Was he a good teammate pretty much all season? By all accounts, yes. Did he accept the role the team asked of him? Yes, he dramatically changed his game to fit on the Thunder (his percentage of threes doubled last season). I think it's in the best interest of both parties to move in different directions, but I have no interest in trashing Melo on his way out the door.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^
This x1000. The Thunder swung for the fences in trading for Melo, but in hindsight it was not a good fit. Melo by all accounts brought more humility and candor to his approach than probably he ever has, anywhere, anytime. By all accounts he was a great locker room guy, good with the media, respectful and appreciative of everyone. I admire the shot he and the team gave the move; it was simply a bad fit. His game is a tough fit in today's league, period, though I think some team is going to figure out how to use him and you are likely to see a respectable act II out of him before he bows out of the league.

About the worst thing he did while he was here was that he was 100% honest in his exit interview when he said he still felt he had something to give a team as a starter, and heck, I think he is PROBABLY right. It's just not THIS team. But they took on his contract eyes wide open - knowing he had a player option that was much higher than his market rate - and they did the deal. He had no obligation to anyone to not take that option. It was negotiated fair and square, and taken on by the Thunder without hesitation or complaint. He ESPECIALLY had no option to sacrifice millions to sign with a team that - while he may have liked them as individuals and as an organization - he knew would not be making him a key part of their game plan from there on out, possibly causing him to play out one of his few remaining seasons on the bench.

Honestly, I probably would have handled it exactly the way he did, and if I was his agent would have advised him to play it that way. And the impression I get is that the Thunder doesn't hold it against him in the least. I think there is plenty of respect left between all parties.

Carmelo Anthony in my estimation is probably the most "professional" professional basketball player we have ever seen wearing an OKC jersey.

[Laramie]

It wasn't so much about what the Thunder paid to obtain Melo; just think about what we gave up...

[sooner88]

Melo's traded to the Hawks for Schroder and Muscala going to Philly. They'll pay Melo the full amount and waive him with Rockets the leader to sign them.

[Anonymous.]

So now we hope Shroder gets thrown in jail and it voids the contract? All hail Presti.

[Laramie]

Breaking news, Thunder trades Carmelo Anthony to Atlanta...

Breaking: The Thunder have agreed to trade Carmelo Anthony and a protected 2022 first-round pick to the Hawks for Dennis Schroder and Mike Muscala. (via @wojespn)

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter?ref...Ctwgr%5Eauthor




17 Dennis Schroder PG 24 6-1 172 $15,500,000


31 Mike Muscala PF 27 6-11 240 Bucknell $5,000,000


There has been reports of Muscula being moved to Philly and mention of Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot coming to OKC (who I like) and Justin Anderson going to Atlanta.
http://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamel...uwawu-cabarrot

[dankrutka]

Well, the rumors were mostly true. Good trade for OKC. Team is very athletic, but short on shooting. Gonna need a lot of 3s from PG, Abrines, and Patterson.

[Jake]

Getting anything of value at all for Melo is a good get. Like Dan says, there isn't much shooting at all, but they are fast, athletic, and can play defense.

[OKCRT]

Twammel said he thinks that the Thunder will look to trade Schroder.