Trade: [HOU/OKC] Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul and picks

[Ivan13]

I'd rather have Westbrook than CP3

Yeah, no doubt.

Man I love this league, so much craziness happening.

 

[CartographerNo611]

Paul George
Jeremi Grant
Russell Westbrook

for

Chris Paul
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Danilo Gallinari
2020 DEN 1st
2021 MIA 1st
2021 HOU 1st (pick swap)
2022 LAC 1st
2023 MIA 1st
2023 LAC 1st (pick swap)
2024 LAC 1st
2024 HOU 1st
2025 HOU 1st (pick swap)
2025 LAC 1st (pick swap)
2026 HOU 1st
2026 LAC 1st

That’s actually a decent haul, they just need 2 of those picks to pan out into star players.

On a different note did Westbrook really get that bad last year?

 

[Jack Straw]

Really puts into perspective that OKC will now have at least 2 first round picks in every draft between now and 2026.

That's absurd.

Somewhere, Sam Hinkie is smiling.

 

[Voight]

That’s actually a decent haul, they just need 2 of those picks to pan out into star players.

On a different note did Westbrook really get that bad last year?

Its not that he got bad, in fact he average a triple double for the 3rd straight year and was named to the All NBA 3rd team.

Its that the team is going to be rebuilding and at his age, he still has some good years left in him. So its doesnt make sense for him to toil on a bad team when he could be helping another team win a title, his contract also runs 1 year longer than CP3's so theres that too. After they decided to blow it up and trade PG, it was only a matter of time before Westbrook was going to be gone next and he wanted to be on a competitive team.

While he is super competitive, I dont think he'd of been pissed if they kept him but they owed it to him to try and find him a new home and with a 40 million dollar salary, this was one of the few scenarios it was going to work.

 

[DaveMatthew]

The best seven teams in the West are so far above the rest that there will probably plenty of time for load management. Seeding is not that important when the teams are this equal.

Beyond those 7 teams, San Antonio made the playoffs last year and have improved. Sacramento is a team on the rise and looking to take another step forward. The Pelicans, with Zion, Jrue and a bunch of young guys with a chip on their shoulder won't be an easy win, neither will Dallas with Luka and Porzingis.

The only "easy" teams would be Phoenix, Memphis, OKC and Minnesota.

The West is significantly better than the East was last year, both in the top and bottom half.

So with Kawhi, it'll be a lot more difficult to give him 20 games off. Plus, you have the fact that the league didn't really care about what was going on up north, whereas this year, the Clippers are, arguably, the NBA's premier team alongside the Lakers. They'll be on national TV every other game, so you can bet Silver won't be all that okay with too much "load management".

With Lebron, take him out of the lineup for 10-15 games, and all of a sudden, the Lakers are last year's Pelicans.

The regular season will be a grind, and the playoffs will be even worse.

Home court and seeding will be important, because every edge is going to matter.

I actually like the Bucks' or 76ers' chances in the Finals because whoever comes out of the West will have already gone through several wars.

It'll be a blast to watch though!

 

[Terry Yake]

also, with westbrook out of OKC the longest tenured player who is still with the team that drafted him is........steph curry. i feel old

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Houston definitely overpaid, and I'm not sure Westbrook is even a good fit next to Harden. There's like, maybe 2 shooters in that starting lineup? Is Morey-ball going away?

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

I can't wait to see what happens with Chris Paul now - I still think he is pretty good.

 

[justafan22]

I can't wait to see what happens with Chris Paul now - I still think he is pretty good.

until his hamstring pops in december

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

The best seven teams in the West are so far above the rest that there will probably plenty of time for load management. Seeding is not that important when the teams are this equal.

If all teams are very close to being equal then wouldn't seeding (home court in playoffs) matter more, not less?

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

until his hamstring pops in december

But the thunder will trade him no?

 

[tony d]

I think they will. I had Westbrook going to Miami. Maybe Paul goes there now. I doubt Paul starts the season with the Thunder.

 

[dahrougem2]

I don't think there's any chance Chris Paul is a member of the Thunder come training camp. They have a **** load of picks over the next six years, if it takes including one or two of those to offload him elsewhere, I'm sure they will do it.

 

[Dr Pepper]

OKC being referred to now as "the greatest dynasty that never was".

Seems appropriate....I'm trying to find a hockey comparison.....would it be fair to call them the San Jose Sharks of the NBA? Seemed like they were always primed to take that next step, finally win a title, but it never happened and now they're stripping away parts.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

OKC being referred to now as "the greatest dynasty that never was".

Seems appropriate....I'm trying to find a hockey comparison.....would it be fair to call them the San Jose Sharks of the NBA? Seemed like they were always primed to take that next step, finally win a title, but it never happened and now they're stripping away parts.

Current Tampa?

 

[Dr Pepper]

Current Tampa?

Maybe, although they haven't had to cast aside their top stars, at least not yet.

They've also at least won the Cup once, albeit fifteen years ago.

OKC's never won anything.

 

[Terry Yake]

 

[Suiteness]

Seemed like they were always primed to take that next step, finally win a title, but it never happened and now they're stripping away parts.

Parts? Bruh that thing's been blown the f@#$ up, it's over.

For all that talent, they have a single final appearance to show for it. That's sad and pathetic at the same time.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Parts? Bruh that thing's been blown the f@#$ up, it's over.

For all that talent, they have a single final appearance to show for it. That's sad and pathetic at the same time.

For OKC, absolutely. They're done, but at least they've got a crapton of picks to look forward to.

I was using San Jose as a reference and they still have SOME core pieces left.

For OKC it's like.....Steven Adams, I guess?

Oklahoma City Thunder Roster

They haven't even added CP3 to their roster page.....no mention of the trade on the team website, either.

So are there more moves to come?

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Current Tampa?

Houston = San Jose. GM who is always big-game hunting, somehow accumulating star players over the course of two decades. Both teams have almost gone all the way, but haven't quite gotten there yet.

Tampa could end up being that OKC team, although we've kept all of our stars. I'd be really sad to lose Stamkos, Kucherov, Hedman, etc with nothing to show for it.

 

[zombie kopitar]

The Sharks during the Dan Boyle era are comparable.
He left and they tanked only for that next season, then they drafted Timo Meier and have now built a new(ish) core capable of contending.

Cp3 and Jimmy Butler on the same team is asking for trouble....but who knows if it works they could make the playoffs pretty easily.

 

[Garbageyuk]

Parts? Bruh that thing's been blown the f@#$ up, it's over.

For all that talent, they have a single final appearance to show for it. That's sad and pathetic at the same time.

A mighty dynasty will rise from the ashes of this forsaken team. The league will wish OKC had won a title and kept their guys, so as not to have to face what's coming. Just kidding lol , would be a cool story line though.

 

[Cassano]

I don't like it for Houston. Paul is a better defender and more efficient scorer.

 

[HisIceness]

OKC being referred to now as "the greatest dynasty that never was".

Seems appropriate....I'm trying to find a hockey comparison.....would it be fair to call them the San Jose Sharks of the NBA? Seemed like they were always primed to take that next step, finally win a title, but it never happened and now they're stripping away parts.

Will make a good 30 for 30.

As for the bolded, yeah, aside from their main superstar leaving in free agency it's not a bad comparison although the Thunder got to the Finals pretty quickly, it took the Sharks about 10 years and a lot of heartbreak with Thornton to finally get there. Maybe those Lindros-led Flyer teams? They got to the Finals when Eric was 24 and never made it back with that core despite being a yearly contender.

 

[Voight]

OKC being referred to now as "the greatest dynasty that never was".

Seems appropriate....I'm trying to find a hockey comparison.....would it be fair to call them the San Jose Sharks of the NBA? Seemed like they were always primed to take that next step, finally win a title, but it never happened and now they're stripping away parts.

Not a bad comparison but at one point the Thunder had the 2nd best player in the league + another top 10 player + a top 20/25 player / 6th man of the year.