2019-20 OKC Thunder

[OkiePoke]

We will probably keep Adams and resign him to around 14MM/yr

[king183]

And yet Dort is the one who got the ball and who was the hottest shooter on the floor. Maybe Russ got baited into doing what Billy wanted. LOL. It's always easier to be smart after the fact. If Dort had a little more experience he would have moved enough to get Harden to foul as he was flying, or he would have let him fly by and then shoot. That's where a more experienced and more savy player would have won the game.

Uhh, Dort did not get the ball. No one did. It bounced off Adams's hands. You're likely thinking of our previous possession in which Paul made a bad pass to SGA, who had to kick it out to Dort. So Russ wasn't baited into anything. He knew precisely was Billy was drawing up, and it was a disaster.

[king183]

He wasn't just outcoached. He repeatedly put the team at a disadvantage. He's not a great coach. He can't make adjustments. We don't need to fire Donovan... just don't offer him a new contract.

Having said all this, we're likely headed for a rebuild. Maybe he's the guy for that. Maybe not. But his inability to make simple lineup adjustments cost the Thunder this series.

Agreed. There is absolutely no excuse for him to keep Bazely on the bench the entire 3rd quarter and have Adams in as long as he did. Adams was a major negative for us. Hell, there was no excuse to keep the starting lineup he did--the lineup that got obliterated every time. He refused to adjust when it was clear his plan was repeatedly not working.

[BoulderSooner]

We will probably keep Adams and resign him to around 14MM/yr

adams is not a free agent

[Bill Robertson]

We will probably keep Adams and resign him to around 14MM/yr

He gets 27.5 mil next year. After that I don’t know if I’d keep him at all. I love the guy and he might be a good influence/leader/teacher but his game just doesn’t work anymore in the NBA.

[king183]

adams is not a free agent

He's extension eligible, so we can extend if we choose to. We probably will extend him, but do so at a number that makes him a good trade asset.

[OkiePoke]

Yeah, I meant when his contract is up. We will probably offer him around 14/yr. His position and skills are going away in this era of the NBA.

[clz46]

I am seriously wondering if Adams is hurt?

[dankrutka]

Gallo's contract expired. We can't trade him. Plus, I don't think he would bring much back if we tried to sign and trade. Adams isn't going to demand much in return. Probably worth more to Thunder as a leader to help with the young bucks. We are more likely to let go of Noel and go for a more modern center type.

Yeah, Gallo won't get much in a sign and trade, but there are so few teams with cap room that we still might get something. Or, maybe we sign him, and wait until midseason to trade him.

I don't see much of a point in trading Adams. He's a good teammate and I doubt he has much trade value on his contract. Like with the other guys, Presti should see what deals are available and make his decisions based on them. I wouldn't trade Adams for the sake of it... trade him if there's a deal there.

[dankrutka]

He gets 27.5 mil next year. After that I don’t know if I’d keep him at all. I love the guy and he might be a good influence/leader/teacher but his game just doesn’t work anymore in the NBA.

I wouldn't go this far. This Houston series was a terrible matchup for Adams, but there are a lot of other series where he has value. He's a good big defender (just not a rim protector) and great screener. He's not a good scorer and couldn't even punish a small guard defending him... heck, he'd shoot that fade away hook shot if Gordon was on him. Anyway, he's an average NBA starting center, which is fine.

I am seriously wondering if Adams is hurt?

This has worried me. He always seems to be really banged up. At the beginning of the bubble he looked so fresh and bouncy... it lasted like two games before he looked tired and banged up again. I wonder if he has some lingering injuries.

[Bill Robertson]

I’ve listened to a lot of discussion this afternoon on the radio about the Thunder possibilities. From trying to keep this group one more year to completely blowing things up now and rebuilding. I know I’m jaded but my beloved, revered, idolized Miami Dolphins blew up the team to rebuild after Dan Marino retired. They made the playoffs once since and we’re embarrassed in the first round. My beloved, revered, idolized Colorado Avalanche blew the team up to rebuild after Roy, Sakic, Forsberg, Foote retired and they are competitive this year for the first time since 1997. I don’t like the term rebuilding.

[Southsider2]

Rebuilding sucks and it sucks being a fan of a rebuilding team but its time. Its about winning championships and this team wouldn't do that even if you ran it back and added a piece or two. The foundation of our rebuild is partially started with SGA, Dort, Bazely, and the 1,000 draft picks we own. We need to get those three experience as starters so that they can build chemistry and grow together. They had fantastic mentorship this year but part of growing is learning to fail. I still think SGA is more of a 2 guard and I think Dort's size (thickness) would give him a fighters chance at the 3. Baze is 20 yers old but has a natural feel for the game and confidence that most rookies don't show. I think if he put on some wieght he could be a sort of a smaller slightly less skilled Chris Bosh type player.

Maximize value from what contracts we have available and go stack more young talent. Also, it sounds pretty stupid right now but the Hawks have shown time and time again that they suck at rebuilding and that hometown kid is on a 3-year deal. I realize this is unlikely but things change fast, and I rememeber it like yesterday that we were heading into this season with Russ and PG on long-term deals LOL.

[kukblue1]

The Bidding war for Chris Paul between the Sixers and the Bucks is going to be good. I hate to see Chris Paul go but his trade value will never be higher. That being said I still think we only get a player and a first round pick for him which some people won't few as a lot but he is 35 years old.

The Bucks could give us Pacers’ 2020 1st round pick (#24) or one of their first round picks in 2024, 2025, 2026.

Young prospect Donte DiVincenzo.

I would like this Divincenzo is like 23 decent player plus another first round pick. Not sure the Sixers have much in the way of a young player to give us. Their young guy (can't think of his name) I don't think they want to get rid of. Al Horford does nothing for OKC either

[Dob Hooligan]

The Bidding war for Chris Paul between the Sixers and the Bucks is going to be good. I hate to see Chris Paul go but his trade value will never be higher. That being said I still think we only get a player and a first round pick for him which some people won't few as a lot but he is 35 years old.

The Bucks could give us Pacers’ 2020 1st round pick (#24) or one of their first round picks in 2024, 2025, 2026.

Young prospect Donte DiVincenzo.

I would like this Divincenzo is like 23 decent player plus another first round pick. Not sure the Sixers have much in the way of a young player to give us. Their young guy (can't think of his name) I don't think they want to get rid of. Al Horford does nothing for OKC either

Don't we have to take back salary in a trade? I think they have to match up something like 80-90% of salary. I'm trying to figure out who we would want that makes $30 million a year?

[kukblue1]

Don't we have to take back salary in a trade? I think they have to match up something like 80-90% of salary. I'm trying to figure out who we would want that makes $30 million a year?

The Bucks have some other players that can send back to match salaries. Al Horford from the sixers matches better but are the sixers willing to give up Thybulle their young guy for CP3. We might be able to get Thybulle Horford and maybe our 21st pick back from them? I would maybe do that But Horford contract is bad. I think he has like 3 years where CP3 only has 2 years.

[rwalker]

Don't we have to take back salary in a trade? I think they have to match up something like 80-90% of salary. I'm trying to figure out who we would want that makes $30 million a year?

Are they going to re-adjust these contracts to reflect that total basketball revenues are going to run significantly below projections, at least for the foreseeable future?

[Bill Robertson]

Are they going to re-adjust these contracts to reflect that total basketball revenues are going to run significantly below projections, at least for the foreseeable future?

I doubt that’s possible. A contract is a contract. Teams are going to have to adjust to lower income and a probably much lower salary cap/salary tax threshold.

[king183]

Are they going to re-adjust these contracts to reflect that total basketball revenues are going to run significantly below projections, at least for the foreseeable future?

No. The salary cap will be adjusted, but contracts aren't adjusted. I doubt the salary cap will be lowered, but it will likely be far below what the expected increase was, leading some teams who were over the cap to make some unexpected adjustments.

[warreng88]

The Woj reporting Donovan’s contract won’t be renewed.

[Bill Robertson]

I thought it was a 50/50 whether he’d be back. He brought a team that should have sucked big time to the playoffs. Then once there seemed to lose any idea how to match up with Houston. He’s good and I like him but maybe there’s a better choice out there. Then again maybe not. How’s that for wishy-washy?

[Jake]

The rebuild has arrived.

[dankrutka]

The rebuild has arrived.

Probably, but it's not guaranteed. I think Presti will see what deals are there. We all need to accept that the Thunder will likely get something very meager for CP3. Maybe a late 1st round pick. Paul's contract is so massive there are only a few teams that could even make a trade work. It'll be interesting to see what kind of interest Schroder, Gallo (in a sign and trade), or Adams (probably not a positive asset with his contract) garner on the market. There's a chance that Presti only sees weak offers and the team tries to run it back. Convincing Gallo to stay might be tough though. But, yeah, it's likely that things get blown up.

Funny enough, I would have been fine with Billy staying for a rebuild. I just don't want him coaching a playoff team after three straight years of poor playoff coaching. Even though this team overachieved, I think we win the first round series if Donovan had just used better rotations (e.g., going small more with Bazley and Gallo). If it's a rebuild, I'll embrace it. Low expectations can be fun.

[Anonymous.]

Watching Lakers actually collect rebounds from Rocket's bricks and have a big who can defend jump shooters shows just how exposed Adams was in the last series. Honestly it is amazing we took them to G7 with Billy actively handicapping the lineups.

I liked Billy, but I am glad to see us move on. Hopefully by the time we are competitive again, we have an actual playmaking coach who can adjust. I think Billy has always had heroes on the floor who help mask his inability to playcall.

[BoulderSooner]

Watching Lakers actually collect rebounds from Rocket's bricks and have a big who can defend jump shooters shows just how exposed Adams was in the last series. Honestly it is amazing we took them to G7 with Billy actively handicapping the lineups.

I liked Billy, but I am glad to see us move on. Hopefully by the time we are competitive again, we have an actual playmaking coach who can adjust. I think Billy has always had heroes on the floor who help mask his inability to playcall.

if billy wanted to stay he would still be the coach

[rwalker]

I hate to see him Go, but I love to watch him leave.