After discussing the situation with Russell Westbrook and agent Thad Foucher, the Thunder are – for the first time – receptive to trade inquiries on their All-NBA guard, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).
As Charania explains, all involved parties – Westbrook, Foucher, and Thunder head of basketball operations Sam Presti – are working together to examine possible scenarios. As Charania notes, it could be difficult to find a trade partner for the star point guard at this point in the offseason, with little cap room still available around the league and recently-signed free agents not becoming trade-eligible until at least December.
The Thunder, who entered the offseason expecting to continue trying to build a contender around Westbrook and Paul George, abruptly changed directions last week after George asked to be traded to the Clippers. Oklahoma City has since significantly retooled its roster by moving both George and Jerami Grant, receiving Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and six first-round picks in return.
As a result of this change in direction, Westbrook’s long-term future in OKC no longer appears certain, despite the fact that his super-max contract with the team still has four years and $171MM left on it. He reportedly met with Presti over the weekend to talk about what happens next after the George trade.
We rounded up several Westbrook-related notes and rumors on Sunday, noting that the Heat, Pistons, and Rockets are among the teams believed to have interest. The Knicks, Celtics, Magic, and Timberwolves have also been mentioned as speculative possibilities.
Heat
My guess
Wolves
I hope
Fire up those trade machines folks
I did one that worked, not sure it’s a “good trade”:
Minnesota gets:
Westbrook
Atlanta gets:
Teague
Picks
Josh Okogie
OKC gets:
Wiggins
Picks
Cam Reddish (just drafted)
Napier
I don’t the players well enough to save if this is at all possible. Trade Machine liked the Atlanta and Minnesota side saying they picked up 2 wins and OKC lost 7
Don’t understand what Atlanta is doing in this
Me neither, I was just trying to make it work and they had some cap room…
Who’s giving up all this picks in this scenario? Atlanta is going to deal Reddish for Teague and Okogie? Not sure the picks they would receive would make it worth it for them.
I don’t know how the Heat could pull off a trade for him but I feel like they will try the hardest. Knicks should try after missing out in feee agency.
Yes , let’s go Knicks … this group needs a leader & this organization needs a player to make other FA or available players want to or at least consider comming to NY
The Knicks, in true Knick fashion, signed 34 PFs w/ their cap space. Consequently, they cannot be traded til December at the earliest and currently do not have the cap room or the traceable assets to match up with a trade. Also, it’s doubtful Westbrook would want to go to another rebuilding team with less assets than the current rebuilding team he’s on. It just doesn’t add up no matter how you slice it.
The Knicks didn’t sign ’34 pfs’. They hit the salary floor and signed some young players to 1+1 deals. They’re staying flexible for next offseason. There’s no way they’d even want Westbrook. Inconsistent, a ball hog, a bad shooter.
Uhh you know Westbrook is the player OKC is trying to deal? You know the one no one wants to play with
Kind of sad the situation PG caused. And I say him not Kawhi because PG could’ve told him “no”. I’m all for player movement but not while they’re under contract. The team they are signed to pay the cost to be the boss and should be their right to do as they wish. Players with guaranteed money get every single dime if they’re faced with career ending injuries.
Not THAT hard…
We’re about to find out how bad Minnesota wants Andrew Wiggins off their books.
Is there another quality “trade machine” out there besides the one on ESPN’s site?
There’s a couple, one on RealGM, but the ESPN one is by far the most user friendly.
The organization is receptive to inquiries regarding a guy still having four years and 171 million left on his deal for a team that is definitely rebuilding. If they were not receptive I would say they need to have their heads examined.
Timberwolves. They need a PG and would fit nicely with Towns.
I think Minnesota works best. Here’s a weird little 3 way deal that kind of makes sense for all.
Wolves get
Russell Westbrook
Patrick Patterson
Thunder get
Andrew Wiggins
Markelle Fultz
Jonathan Isaac
a couple of draft picks from Minn
Magic get
Jeff Teague
Gorgui Dieng
Kinda works for all involved. The Magic give up a little upside for much higher floors and get a good starting PG to compete in the Eastern playoffs. OKC gets younger and gets 3 under performing former high draft picks that could still blossom. Minnesota gets a superstar that would immediately vault them into Western contention.
Probably will never happen, but fun to imagine.
get on it, masai
He’ll never take on that contract.
I think it’s gotta be Detroit or Miami .
I assume they’re beyond receptive. Anxious. With the trade of Grant, they don’t need to shed salary in a RW deal, and there was never a team (including the Knicks) that was taking him into open cap space. If they want to trade him (or if he wants to be traded), now is the time.
Heard on local radio a few minutes ago that it’s a done deal… a source close to the situation said he’s coming to South Beach.
Really? I stopped listening to local several years ago. Only use XM NBA radio. What did they say? Ethan Skolnik still have his show?
Didn’t catch the guys name but he’s a close source to the Heat front office. Winslow will be the centerpiece of any potential deal.
Dammnnn…I just bought his jersey lol
I feel like Winslow is the type to take off in OKC so keep the jersey, may be worth a lot long term lol
Celtics? No thank you.
49ers? No thank you.
If they want even more late firsts Houston is the way to go, incredibly unlikely Westbrook and Adams for CP3 Capela and firsts. Thunder get 11M off the books.
to me it makes the most sense they can build around Alexander and Capela .. and package one of those pics to get CP3 off the team and off the books.
This offseason just gets crazier and crazier. My money is on Minnesota for a landing spot.
IMO – Capela from the rockets would be the best piece they could get if we are talking between Hou,Mia,Det … I don’t think he fits on a lot of teams as well as I don’t think he wants to play in Mil or Min… I would be interested to see him get coached up by Pop in SA not sure if they could make that happen.
If it’s the Heat, theyd need to find a way to do it without Dragic, Winslow, Bam, and preferably Herro and Derric Jones, although I’d be ok with Jones or Herro being involved if they had to be…I doubt they use Leonard as part of it, after talking about him, and having him already make appearances, and do interviews, so it would be Olynyk in that scenario.
Waiters, James Johnson, and Olynyk is essentially a perfect match salary wise. Remove protection on the 2023 pick, and add the 2025 pick, throw in Jones or Herro if necessary. That’s the only way I think it makes sense for the Heat. They’re hardcapped and cant sign anyone, and cant afford to lose much shooting. Pairing Westbrook with Dragic makes sense. Heat summer league guys already on the roster would likely keep their roster spots, in this scenario, to give them bodies
I’ve said, I personally dont consider the Heat to make the most sense, but it is difficult to see where he goes, after everythingthat has happened so far. If this was a week ago, it would have been a bit easier. I honestly think Cleveland makes the most sense right now
Forgot to add rights to swap a couple of picks in the years between
If we can keep two out of DJJ, Herro and Bam, I’ll be happy (preferably Bam and Herro). Everyone else, don’t care about.
2 pick swaps, Winslow, Dragic and Bam for Westbrook makes the most sense IMO. That’s roughly 36 million going out for Westbrook and 38 million of his salary for 2019-20. Maybe they’ll have to throw in Derrick Jones jr. to sweeten the deal though… Winslow and Bam are both young pieces to help build for the future with high ceilings. Dragic is on an expiring deal and can be flipped for a pick or two at the deadline. For Miami losing two to three young rotation pieces will sting but I feel like this is a fair deal for both sides
Proposal two: Dragic, Waiters, Winslow, Bam for Westbrook and Roberson.
At that point, i dont want Westbrook right now. I dont see where it makes sense to move certain guys, if we’re taking back his salary in this situation.
I meannnn, Dragic and Winslow are redundant anyways since Russ would be replacing them. Losing Bam will hurt but at least we’d still have two guys in James Johnson and Olynyk playing the 5… maybe KZ Okapala becomes a stud, or Duncan Robinson (who’s looked great so far in summer league). Heat could go out and sign a guy like Tyson Chandler for a season to help fill the void of Bam if need be.
I worry about shooting next to Westbrook and Butler. I worry about who plays the 4 behind James Johnson. I wonder about health issues for the guys we’d be keeping in that scenario, and I wonder about flexibility moving forward. We would be relying on Okpala or Maten this year, and Klay…Duncan Robinson. I also dont want to move Dragic, Wibslow, or Bam specifically. Losing all 3 or 2 of the 3 is difficult. I also dont see the leverage for OKC to get that much
Bulls Get
Westbrook / Gallinari
Thunder Get
Porter Jr. / LaVine / Dunn / Felicio
Salaries match, maybe Bulls add a 2020 lottery protected 1st.
Hawks could also take on Dunn / Felicio with Bulls sending two 2nd rounders or 1 from both teams if the Thunder don’t want them.
Just stupid enough that GarPax might do it.
New Batman in Gotham City??
If the Heat trade for RW, to pair with JB, they’d be looking at a 4 year window devoid of meaningful cap space and without half their picks. I assume they would have to see the roster they have after the trade as being capable (with organic growth, solid drafting and tweaks) of 4 years of contention. So, I’m skeptical that BA and TH will be in play.
Now look at this from another angle: competing with Westbrook and Butler for the next two season complemented with players on two year deals like James Johnson and or Olynyk. Beal would be available after the next two seasons and then Miami could possibly assemble a Butler-Westbrook-Beal big three. If we aren’t successful in getting Beal, Heat would have a very sizable 85 million of the books in 2023 with Butler and Westbrook’s deal expiring. Worth it in my opinion, for a three year window to try to win.
You couldn’t get Beal as a UFA in 2 years with RW and JB on the roster. At least not at max, even with nobody else on the roster, which wouldn’t be practical in any case. A third max player invariably has to be the subject of a trade, not a signing. With these two contracts, elite UFA signings are out for 4 years absent a trade.
Westbrook isn’t gonna waive his no trade clause to the heat. He’s not stupid. He might as well retire.
Boston, straight up for Hayward. If Lebron can play point guard, Westbrook can play small forward.
Charlotte, for Biyombo and Marvin Williams. Charlotte coughs up some picks to stay in the playoff picture for the 8th seed in the East, OKC gets out from under the lengthy contract, gets some bodies who play something resembling basketball.
Or the masterpiece, Cleveland for Brandon Knight and JR Smith, and some picks.
Toronto might want to try to get another flag, OKC gets Lowry, straight up. So, suffice it to say, there are many options depending upon how gullible/desperate teams are to seem relevant after not getting any big FAs. It is the Carlos Boozer Syndrome.
Detroit is the most logical. Luke Kennard, Thon Maker, Reggie Jackson and a couple picks… gives OKC the shooter they need in Kennard next to SGA to build around.