OKC Thunder 2016 off-season news

[dankrutka]

Anyway, we're going in circles so I'll leave the KD stuff at that.

The Westbrook conundrum is up next...

[Laramie]

Thunder fans will make that adjustment; then move on.

It's like meeting a beautiful women you like, you tell her all the things you think she might want to here. All the things to lure her into your web. Was that the case with Kevin Durant?

Just so confused since this announcement was made; however it wasn't like I didn't see this coming.

After awakening one morning from a bad dream in which K. D. announced that he was leaving OKC; my vibes, told me that Kevin Durant was GONE!

[sooner88]

The problem is the timing with all of this. With the cap going up significantly next year Russell really has no incentive to sign an extension with us this year. On the flip side, what team would want to give up significant players / future draft picks with no guarantee that he will stay past the 2016/2017 season?

Hopefully we can pitch to him that this is his team now and that will be enough for him to stay.

[AP]

IMO, there is nothing that will make him extend or say either way whether he is leaving or not and you can't risk waiting to see. You can't compete for a title anyway this year. I say you try and get something for him while you can.

[SoonerDave]

IMO, there is nothing that will make him extend or say either way whether he is leaving or not and you can't risk waiting to see. You can't compete for a title anyway this year. I say you try and get something for him while you can.

Sad to say, agree completely. KD ruined us, no matter how you slice it.

[Laramie]

When the time comes for Russell Westbrook's contract to be addressed, the Thunder will make that assessment. If he decides to leave, it will FREE up that much CAP space for us to plan our future.

Who knows, Blake Griffin may be ready to return home.

[PhiAlpha]

Anyway, we're going in circles so I'll leave the KD stuff at that.

The Westbrook conundrum is up next...

Just have to hope that the allure of saving OKC from the result of KD's actions and being the leader of the franchise means something to him. Presti has a pretty good pitch on building around him and has a very good supporting cast to start the process with. If Westbrook hangs around and brings us back to a championship or near championship level after this, he would be nothing short of a legend here. Hopefully he cares more about his legacy than Durant did.

[Patrick]

First, that story is from 15 months ago. Things shift and that's been in the norm in sports stories like this. And even in that story KD said, "But you never know what the future holds..." I think KD would have liked to have his jersey retired here. And if we'd won the title or 10 other things happened then I think he'd have stayed. I don't think he left OKC as much as he went to GSW. Its not like we were out of consideration and he wanted to get out... But he chose somewhere else. It's weak, but I disagree with your interpretation of things.

Doesn't matter if it was 15 months ago. He still lied to us. He told us that he wanted to stay here for his career and get his jersey retired here. Shouldn't have made those statements if he didn't mean them. He's a quitter, plain and simple. Couldn't take the heat of losing to GSW, so he quit and joined the enemy. Pretty low. I have no respect for the thug.

[Patrick]

Just have to hope that the allure of saving OKC from the result of KD's actions and being the leader of the franchise means something to him. Presti has a pretty good pitch on building around him and has a very good supporting cast to start the process with. If Westbrook hangs around and brings us back to a championship or near championship level after this, he would be nothing short of a legend here. Hopefully he cares more about his legacy than Durant did.

Doubt it. He's made it pretty clear that his heart is in LA.

[warreng88]

I just had a thought, which I know will never happen, but would be very cool if it did: There are people here (in OKC, not necessarily on this board) who recognize what KD did for the city while he was here and are sad to see him go, but don't hate him. There are people here who absolutely hate KD and wish nothing but the worst for him. I am neither; I nothing him now.

So, what if the first game he played back in OKC as a Warrior, when his name and number were announced, there were no boos, there were no cheers, there was nothing, nothing but silence.

Dead. F$%king. Silence...

Again, just a thought...

[barrettd]

It will be interesting to see how OKC fans regard KD after the dust settles and the raw emotions have passed.

My guess is that most will be secretly hoping he never gets that ring, while not openly cheering against him.

And there will always be some that will just hate the guy and never let it go.

I hope he doesn't get the ring, at least not with GS, and I will certainly never cheer for him unless he's playing for the USA team. I root for the laundry, and now he's one of the bad guys.

It will also be interesting to see how he handles being with an organization that doesn't shield him nearly as much as the Thunder did, and a media base that doesn't handle him with kid gloves, like ours did. Wouldn't surprise me if he had a rough year next season.

[Diesel54]

I grew up a Dallas fan and support them still as my number 1 team but I view the Thunder as a close 2nd. Where Durant is right now is extremely similar to where Dirk was.

Dirk came close for years but there was always a Spurs, Lakers, Miami, or Sacramento team that was just a little better. Nash left the team and became a multi-MVP winner. They put together one of the best regular seasons (currently 7th all time) and went out in the first round. It seemed like they'd never get there.

Dirk took a lot of blame for the failures, mostly from the national media. He was too soft, a poor defender, choked when it was on the line, etc. He was still loved in Dallas but the occasional statements I would hear about Durant reminded me of the things I used to hear about Dirk.

Dirk stuck with the team and kept trying to go at it. The Spurs owned the decade he was in his prime much like Golden State is on their way to owning this one. When 2011 happened it was like he was on a mission. When he hoisted the trophy all the criticism was gone. His status in Dallas is now up there with some of the greatest Cowboy players which says a lot.

Based on the stories around town, Dirk was the happiest person in the room at every bar he showed up in after the win. His path was extremely difficult but it all became worth it. I guarantee the satisfaction he got from finally winning it was greater than anything Durant will experience in Golden State, even if he wins several. Durant threw something away with this choice and as a sports fan that's disappointing to see.

[FighttheGoodFight]

You either die Dirk or live long enough to see yourself become Karl Malone

[checkthat]

It will be interesting to see how OKC fans regard KD after the dust settles and the raw emotions have passed.

My guess is that most will be secretly hoping he never gets that ring, while not openly cheering against him.

And there will always be some that will just hate the guy and never let it go.

Put me down for hope he never gets a ring and openly cheering against him. On the bright side, it's not like we can win less championships with KD gone.

We need to petition Presti to let us trade our KD jerseys (non-burned) in for Adams.

[PhiAlpha]

Doubt it. He's made it pretty clear that his heart is in LA.

Really? Outside of media conjecture, where/when has he himself made that clear?

[AP]

^That's what I've always wondered. Everyone is sure that he doesn't want to be here. I just think it will be tough to take a chance on he coming back considering the situation KD put us in, but I've never understood why everyone thinks Russ wants LA.

[jerrywall]

Heh -

https://thekicker.com/durant-tries-t...ic-dream-team/

[PhiAlpha]

^That's what I've always wondered. Everyone is sure that he doesn't want to be here. I just think it will be tough to take a chance on he coming back considering the situation KD put us in, but I've never understood why everyone thinks Russ wants LA.

Same here. Everyone just assumes that because he wasn't ever as outspoken about OKC as KD was, but he isn't really outspoken about anything with the media. Anytime he's been asked, he's said he likes it hear.

[Jersey Boss]

The best thing the Thunder could do is tear up the contract of RW and instead offer him the max on a 2 year with an option year for the second. He would still be a free agent at the end of next year but it would show RW that the franchise is willing to give him a "good faith" amount of money. Sometimes you just need to make a high risk investment if there is a high potential reward.

[dankrutka]

You can't tear up contracts in the NBA.

Either Russ shows a willingness to sign a long term max or the team has to look for a deal. Unfortunately, the Thunder can only get a lot if Russ shows a willingness to sign with that team... The Thunder might or might not have a lot of leverage in a possible deal. Not a great position.

[Laramie]

The best thing the Thunder could do is tear up the contract of RW and instead offer him the max on a 2 year with an option year for the second. He would still be a free agent at the end of next year but it would show RW that the franchise is willing to give him a "good faith" amount of money. Sometimes you just need to make a high risk investment if there is a high potential reward.

Agree, what have the Thunder got to lose.

According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, Miami "deeply angered" its superstar by making him an initial offer with a $10 million annual value. (Austin Rivers will make more for the Los Angeles Clippers, per ESPN.com.) Despite Miami doubling the offer to two years and $40 million, per the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman, Wade still wants more.

NBA Free Agents 2016: Rumors and Predictions for Remaining Available Talent: http://http://bleacherreport.com/art...ailable-talent

[Jersey Boss]

You can't tear up contracts in the NBA.

Not true, Dan. The Thunder have cap space now that KD is gone.
http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q61
A contract for four or more seasons can be renegotiated after the third anniversary of its signing, extension, or previous renegotiation (if the previous negotiation increased any season's salary by more than 4.5%). Contracts for fewer than four seasons cannot be renegotiated. A contract cannot be renegotiated between March 1 and June 30 of any year.

Only teams under the cap can renegotiate a contract, and the salary in the then-current season can be increased only to the extent that the team has room under the cap (and cannot increase the player's salary beyond the maximum salary). A renegotiation can only be used to provide a salary increase -- players can't take a "pay cut" in order to create more cap room for the team.

If the player agrees to waive a portion of his trade bonus in order to facilitate a trade (see question number 99), his contract may not be renegotiated for six months following the trade.

Every category of compensation (base salary, likely bonuses, and unlikely bonuses) that are increased in the renegotiated season must also increase in all subsequent seasons of the contract. Raises (and decreases) in subsequent seasons are limited to 7.5% of the salary in the first renegotiated season.

A renegotiated contract can be extended simultaneously (see question number 60). If a player's contract is extended and renegotiated simultaneously in this manner, his salary may not decrease by more than 40% from the last season before the extension (after it is renegotiated) to the first season of the extension. For example, if the salary in the last season of a contract is renegotiated to $10 million and the contract is simultaneously extended, the salary in the first season of the extension cannot be less than $6 million.

Other rules for renegotiations:

A signing bonus cannot accompany a renegotiation unless the contract is extended simultaneously (see question number 60).
A rookie scale contract (see question number 49) cannot be renegotiated.
A contract cannot be renegotiated in conjunction with a trade.

[dankrutka]

Thanks for the info... How often has it happened? I can't remember any examples...

(There's no way Russ will do this)

[Jersey Boss]

Thanks for the info... How often has it happened? I can't remember any examples...

(There's no way Russ will do this)

Totally irrelevant to how often it has happened before. How many times has a team had two of the top 5 players the game looking at free agency in successive years and losing one of those players in the first year? The current CBA went into play in 2011 I believe, so you are talking a very unique situation.
Russ would lose nothing in my proposal as he would still be a free agent at the end of 2017 year, but would have earned more money and possibly the Thunder would earn more respect. Why in the world would he not agree?

[soonermike81]

I have no respect for the thug.

Lol, probably the first time in history that someone has called him that