Melo gone

[thunderc]

I don't think the question should be does Schroder make them better, he does.

Imo, the question should be, does he make them better enough to justify the move? I don't think he does.

This is not an on the court thing, Melo was not going to be in a Thunder uniform this season, period. Either way, on or off the court, The Thunder are better without Melo. Not really up for debate in my opinion.

 

[trojanfan12]

This is not an on the court thing, Melo was not going to be in a Thunder uniform this season, period. Either way, on or off the court, The Thunder are better without Melo. Not really up for debate in my opinion.

I agree. In a way, it's addition by subtraction. The problem, imo, isn't that they got rid of Melo, that needed to happen. It's who they got back to replace him. I don't think Schroder is worth what he's going to be paid.

If I remember correctly, Melo is due to be a free agent after this season. I think the Thunder would have been better served to trade him for someone making less than Schroder, fit better with Westbrook or at least with fewer years on his contract. Or just do like the Lakers did with Deng and pay him to stay home. Unlike Deng, Melo would only be on the books for this season, then he comes off completely.

Now, they either have to pay Schroder more than he's worth for 3 years, hope they can trade him or stretch him.

 

[tlance]

didnt they get better getting Schroeder for Melo? I certainly think they did. It would be hard for me to believe you dont.

and at some point- the marginal return is what it is.

Even with Schroeder I think that the Thunder will have the highest payroll in NBA history. Its hard to call them cheap at that point- lol- with the highest payroll in NBA history- but it would not surprise me if you tried to continue to frame it that way.

At some point, you will realize that as contracts scale up, just about every single year the team with the highest current payroll will be the highest payroll in league history.

That card gets way overplayed by you. Next year, it will almost surely be the Warriors. And I bet they spend what they need to to keep both KD and Klay.

I guess I am not saying the move to get Shroder was cheap, so much as it was short sighted. Because it will cost them in luxury tax the next 2 years when Melo would have been off the books.

 

[thunderc]

I agree. In a way, it's addition by subtraction. The problem, imo, isn't that they got rid of Melo, that needed to happen. It's who they got back to replace him. I don't think Schroder is worth what he's going to be paid.

If I remember correctly, Melo is due to be a free agent after this season. I think the Thunder would have been better served to trade him for someone making less than Schroder, fit better with Westbrook or at least with fewer years on his contract. Or just do like the Lakers did with Deng and pay him to stay home. Unlike Deng, Melo would only be on the books for this season, then he comes off completely.

Now, they either have to pay Schroder more than he's worth for 3 years, hope they can trade him or stretch him.

Yeah I hear ya, Presti had limited trade options and I’m still shocked he pulled it off to be honest. Kind of kicking the can down the road seems to be what he is doing. The Melo trade was horrible to begin with but what we don’t know is if that is what it took to get Russ to resign. That’s the million $ question. Some people around here are excited with Shroders speed and every time Presti or Donovan speak now days they talk about how much more they want to run. Guess we will see.

 

[shopson67]

That card gets way overplayed by you. Next year, it will almost surely be the Warriors. And I bet they spend what they need to to keep both KD and Klay.

That's assuming KD will want to stay if they win again. I think he tries to find his own team to lead to a championship, as the criticism from joining the Warriors eats at him.

 

[CitySushi]

That's assuming KD will want to stay if they win again. I think he tries to find his own team to lead to a championship, as the criticism from joining the Warriors eats at him.

So then the Warriors have space to sign a fully healthy Boogie? Works for me

 

[shopson67]

So then the Warriors have space to sign a fully healthy Boogie? Works for me

It won't really be "space" and they won't have Boogie's Bird rights. Warriors would have $21M in cap space BEFORE cap holds of over $47.5M even if Durant is renounced.

 

[CitySushi]

It won't really be "space" and they won't have Boogie's Bird rights. Warriors would have $21M in cap space BEFORE cap holds of over $47.5M even if Durant is renounced.

I was being factitious but I'm well aware of our cap situation. Just need to go out and trade Pat McCaw and Jordan Bell for Anthony Davis and problem solved.

 

[tlance]

That's assuming KD will want to stay if they win again. I think he tries to find his own team to lead to a championship, as the criticism from joining the Warriors eats at him.

Sure. It is possible KD leaves.

But, whether he stays or goes, OKC's 2018 "payroll record" will be broken by 2020 at the latest. And it probably goes down in 2019. That is just how these things work. Yet, I have seen Wiggy claim "league record payroll" at least a dozen times like it means something.

Having the highest payroll in the current season almost guarantees you having the league record.

 

[Scapegoat]

That's assuming KD will want to stay if they win again. I think he tries to find his own team to lead to a championship, as the criticism from joining the Warriors eats at him.

Cup does not want his own team. He's shown that.

 

[Scapegoat]

Yeah I hear ya, Presti had limited trade options and I’m still shocked he pulled it off to be honest. Kind of kicking the can down the road seems to be what he is doing. The Melo trade was horrible to begin with but what we don’t know is if that is what it took to get Russ to resign. That’s the million $ question. Some people around here are excited with Shroders speed and every time Presti or Donovan speak now days they talk about how much more they want to run. Guess we will see.

I still believe the move to trade for Melo was to make a move that got the Thunder noticed. Don't forget all of the hype around the team at the beginning of last season. It took away a lot of the cup left talk. It was a look we still have big name players move. I don't know if it was the right move but Westbrook and George each stayed.

 

[msgkings322]

Cup does not want his own team. He's shown that.

He wants rings and Finals MVPs and not having to play with a ball hog more

 

[shopson67]

Cup does not want his own team. He's shown that.

He's shown a lot of sensitivity to ridicule on twitter. If he gets another ring this season, I think he's gone. He'll try to team up with other free agents, but I think he'll look for a team that will build around him quickly.

 

[Scapegoat]

He wants rings and Finals MVPs and not having to play with a ball hog more

Like I said, he doesn't want his own team. He wants to stay on a team that is the favorite to win without him so there is zero pressure. Because he isn't good under pressure.

 

[msgkings322]

Like I said, he doesn't want his own team. He wants to stay on a team that is the favorite to win without him so there is zero pressure. Because he isn't good under pressure.

Depends what you mean by good under pressure. Who is, in your opinion?

 

[DJ]

Kind of cherry picking the last two finals since he was just getting back from injury in this years finals. LOL, but whatever works for you man.

Also Looney was vital to the Warriors beating the Rockets. Bell was vital to the finals.

I didn't say they were hits. I said they were the right pieces for the right time. What's more impressive: Drafting the talent, or surrounding your talent with the right guys? Again I said that they might never be anything more than rotational guys. Hell maybe McCaw doesnt' even last in the NBA past next year. But the fact he bought into the second round for a player he thought could contribute and did so as a rookie in the NBA finals is impressive, wouldn't you say?

He traded Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut. He also DIDN'T trade Klay Thompson for Kevin Love which has to be a factor here. That's hard to pass up at that time.

There's much more to being a GM than actually just selecting talented players. It's creating the right fits and being in-tune with the players and the game itself. Bob has a background in both being a former collegiate player and an Agent.

You said it yourself, 2nd round picks never make an impact. Yet here we are, two years in a row when a Warriors rookie has played well enough to insert themselves into important minutes in NBA FINALS games.

Larry Nance Jr is VITAL for the Cavs moving forward in post-James era.

 

[Scapegoat]

Depends what you mean by good under pressure. Who is, in your opinion?

Lebron, Kobe, Prime Melo, Dirk off the top of my head. Trying to not go back to far.

 

[CitySushi]

Lebron, Kobe, Prime Melo, Dirk off the top of my head. Trying to not go back to far.

Do you think on any level that Durant and Westbrook were going to work in terms of fully maximizing their skills and winning a championship?

If not, all bias aside, who would you have chosen to build around? Do you think the Thunder hold any responsibility for not providing Durant with an optimal chance to succeed, given how he's been considered the 2nd best player in the world for many years? Or vise versa if you believe Russ was the best player to build around, not trading Durant who would have provided a sky high assets return to build around Russ?

I feel like over the years many people said that Durant and Westbrook just wasn't working on a fundamental level because of their your turn, my turn style. If that was the case do you believe the Thunder should have simply picked between one of the two and tried to use the other as a trade to make the team better?

 

[Scapegoat]

Do you think on any level that Durant and Westbrook were going to work in terms of fully maximizing their skills and winning a championship?

If not, all bias aside, who would you have chosen to build around? Do you think the Thunder hold any responsibility for not providing Durant with an optimal chance to succeed, given how he's been considered the 2nd best player in the world for many years? Or vise versa if you believe Russ was the best player to build around, not trading Durant who would have provided a sky high assets return to build around Russ?

I feel like over the years many people said that Durant and Westbrook just wasn't working on a fundamental level because of their your turn, my turn style. If that was the case do you believe the Thunder should have simply picked between one of the two and tried to use the other as a trade to make the team better?

It's a good question. Durant's game is built to last longer. Westbrook relies on athleticism. That said, I was in the minority after the Harden trade. I felt they should have traded Durant and kept Westbrook and Harden if someone had to go. Reason being, Durant had more trade value.
The reason they didn't work well together is coaching. Plain and simple.

 

[tlance]

It's a good question. Durant's game is built to last longer. Westbrook relies on athleticism. That said, I was in the minority after the Harden trade. I felt they should have traded Durant and kept Westbrook and Harden if someone had to go. Reason being, Durant had more trade value.
The reason they didn't work well together is coaching. Plain and simple.

My opinion Scape, and I know you probably won't agree,

But I think had they traded Westbrook at any time, KD would still be there.

Hindsight is obviously 20-20, and it isn't like OKC is hurting today, but back when they traded Harden they could have received Quite a haul in a deal for Russ back then, and I truly believe they would have won titles.

That, and they also needed to move on from Scott Brooks sooner, and hire somebody not named Billy Donovan.