The first major domino of the NBA offseason has fallen, as the Thunder and Suns are set to finalize a deal that will send All-Star guard Chris Paul to Phoenix.
Kelly Oubre is one of the key pieces headed to Oklahoma City in that swap, and according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7FM (Twitter link), the Suns felt as if Oubre was expendable not only due to the emergence of Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, but because they didn’t think they’d end up re-signing Oubre in free agency in 2021.
Meanwhile, while Paul is on board with being dealt to the Suns, Marc Berman of The New York Post hears that CP3’s top preference would have been a move to the Clippers. The veteran point guard had “mixed feelings” about a possible deal to the Knicks, Berman adds.
As we wait for more trade agreements to be reached, here are a few of the latest rumors from around the NBA:
- The Hornets appear to be the most likely landing spot for Russell Westbrook, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who writes that team owner Michael Jordan wants to acquire the former MVP. However, sources tell O’Connor that Charlotte won’t put the No. 3 overall pick on the table in an offer to the Rockets.
- The Mavericks aren’t involved in the Jrue Holiday sweepstakes for now, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, who tweets that the Pelicans prefer to trade Holiday to an Eastern Conference team. Mike Singer of The Denver Post notes (via Twitter) that New Orleans’ apparent desire to send Holiday to the East might be posturing to try to drive up the price for a team like the Nuggets.
- Asked today about trade rumors involving Aaron Gordon, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman confirmed there have been “a lot of calls” on the forward (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel). However, he added that there’s an “amazing amount of misinformation that circulates and is unfounded.” A report last week suggested Orlando was trying to move up in the draft from No. 15 by attaching Gordon to the pick.
- In case you missed it, James Harden is rumored to be seeking a trade out of Houston.
Good salary dump for OKC, excellent job. For once.
For once?!? Presti has been killing it!
He’s done the easy part. Now comes the hard part of actually nailing those draft picks (or using them to acquire the right players). Right now, soon as Adams is traded, SGA will be the only plus player on the whole roster.
Presti is the one that signed the awful George and Westbrook contracts in the first place. Don’t overlook those failures just because he found dummies to bail him out.
George was not a bad contract. If anything it was a miracle he re-signed in OKC.
Didn’t you go to almost all the Chris Paul related posts saying Chris Paul is not going anywhere unless multiple firsts are attached .
Your delusions never cease to amaze.
For once ???? Lol what he got with CP3 was much better deal than this one.
OKC got a haul for Westbrook. In total
It’s about to look even better when all those Rockets picks turn out to be lottery picks after the Rockets blow it up
If turning Westbrick into 5 firsts is a salary dump then this is the best salary dump in history.
For once? They got 10 picks and Shai for Westbrook and George lmao.
The rockets had to give a pick up to trade Paul and the Thunder pick a pick up sending him out.
OKC to make a move for Aaron Gordon now?
Ricky Rubio, Terrance Ferguson and a pair of seconds for Aaron Gordon??
Orlando with Augustine likely gone could need a solid reliable point guard and he would be a great teacher for Markelle Fultz. Plus with Aaron Gordon about to enter the final year of his deal and not exactly needed with Jonothan Issac at the 4 it would be a nice return. Ferguson would be a good young player to add, plus a pair of extra picks.
OKC would love this move and have SGA Dort Oubre Gordon and Adams plus all those first rounders. That’s a possible playoff team plus something that resembles a rebuilding team with SGA Dort Oubre and Gordon all still young
I don’t hate that. Although I think Orlando might push for one or more of the firsts that OKC has stockpiled. Perhaps the Lakers pick from this year along with a Clippers pick. OKC clearly can’t use ALL of those stockpiled picks or they will just bumble them up like the Celtics mostly have. Taking stash picks like Yabusele and such.
If I’m the Thunder I’d give up a late first, Rubio and Ferguson for Gordon.
I mean they have something like 17 picks in the next 6 years.
Gordon with SGA and Oubre that’s a solid trio. You’ve got the passing and craftyness of Shai, Oubres scoring and flair and Gordon’s bounce and athleticism. All three with huge potential
It would be very dumb to limit trades of Jrue to only teams of the EC… what is the point of keeping the teams from your conference out of the sweepstakes, all it does is get you less for your player, I know you might have to face them down the road in the playoffs… but if you are that scared of them beating you, maybe you shouldn’t get rid of them!
Just hate all this culture of fear, if you trade a dude you want the best package, even if it comes from your fiercest or closest rival, who cares!
If you believe your team is close to a playoff run, especially since 10 seeds now have a shot, then why would you strengthen a rival? New Orleans is not that far away IF everyone continues to take steps forward. Depending on what they get out of Holiday, I think NO could be in the same position as Phoenix last year. Knocking on the door, but not quite in yet. Although with Houston and OKC clearly in rebuild mode, they could sneak in also.
i would love if the mavs could get aaron gordon. he be great in the open flow offense. he also has a game kinda like shawn marion (maybe a little slower than shawn marion but a better shooter) luka is kinda like nash and gordon like marion and KP kinda like amare (again kp is slower but a better shooter). it be fun to watch all the luka gordon lobs.
dallas could trade the 18th pick and dorell wright for aaron gordon. maybe teams would like picks 15th and 18th more than 15th and gordon. in addition, magic gets a point guard
Hornets is a good place for Westbrook. And I wouldn’t give up 3rd pick either. Still like to see him go to NY. Truth is both Hornets and Knicks need the excitement he would bring. Both can offer picks and expiring contracts. Westbrook is a Nike guy though. I still believe Sixers is the place for him. Especially if he wants to win a ring. For Harris and Richardson plus. Rockets can keep Harden and retool. I wonder if Westbrook would want to go to Charlotte.
He’s currently signed to Jordan brand if I’m not mistaken.
As a Hornets fan I want him to go to the Knicks. I’m sorry, Knick fans. If it’s you or us though, I’d rather it be you.
Whoo! The Mill is starting to heat up now!
This week is going to be lit. Would be great to see the Bucks get in on a sign/trade for Gallo, but I’m guessing the main focus is on Bogdan Bogdanović.. Dragic would be a great consolation.
Watch us miss on everyone to overpay for a broken Oladipo [cue Giannis leaving town in two steps]
3 way trade:
Adams to the Boston Celtics for 26th and 30th pick and a future 2nd rounder
Heyward to the Orlando Magic
OKC gets Aaron Gordon and Aminu with Orlando’s 2022 1-10 protected pick.
Seems like a legitimate deal. I don’t see Boston getting Adams unless 3rd team.
Boston gets a badly needed rim protector and rough interior defender.
Orlando gets a wing player on an expiring deal.
OKC gets an asset in Gordon and allows Presti to hit some late 1st round picks.
why would orlando do this. esp trading a future 1st for a rental player…
It’s Orlando, do we really need to explain? I can’t see Adams being dealt to Boston without a 3rd team taking on Heyward’s deal. I checked the cap space and also the roster. Orlando has a plethora of guards but no 3’s. Getting Heyward would let them reset that cap too. Gordon still had 2 more years left and Aminu does too. Resets the cap situation beyond 2021/22 season.
bro check your facts……
1. they only have 3 guards on (fournier, ross and fults).
2 they have small forwards (ennis and frazier.) not to mention that ross, gordon aminu and even fournier (in certain match ups) can all play sf as well
3. again why would orlando trade a first for a rental and 1 good role player in aaron
reading your dumb comments literally lowered my IQ.
guards on roster*
Fultz*
Apparently you can’t read at all since I included Aminu as well. He’s overpaid and trash. So you like hoarding garbage players like Ennis? This is why the Magic are perpetually one of the worst teams in the NBA
yeah and apparently you cant read who is on the roster. also every team has a bad contract. finally they made the playoffs. that makes them better than at least 14 other teams…. if you want to talk bad teams. look at charlotte and new york lol
Really?
Can you elavorate @razzy427?
How is ORL one of the worst teams in the NBA?
It would seem to me they made the Playoffs for the last 2 years, winning their division ones, it would seem to me they are a decent team, middle of the table or top half of the table, better than other 15 teams at least dude!
*elaborate… oh boy!
Who is getting Boston’s picks? Unless those go to Orlando, this deal is way too lopsided for okc. 3 1sts and 2nd and gordon for Adams?
Regardless, Boston is giving up way too much for Steven Adam’s
he is pretty much saying steven adams for aaron gordon, aminu, picks 26th, 30th a future 2nd and another future 1st…….
For Adams?…Steven Adams? Steven Adams the basketball player from
New Zealand?
NBA Regular Season Stats
Stats Per Game
Points Per Game
Aaron Gordon 12.8
Gordon Hayward 15.3
Rebounds Per Game
Aaron Gordon 6.4
Gordon Hayward 4.4
Assists Per Game
Aaron Gordon 2.4
Gordon Hayward 3.5
Steals Per Game
Aaron Gordon 0.8
Gordon Hayward 1.0
Blocks Per Game
Aaron Gordon 0.6
Gordon Hayward 0.4
man pretty comparable numbers. ill keep the guy that cost 14m less for an extra year who is also super young and athletic. vs trading away him and a future 1st. if Orlando really wants to shed money the following year, i bet they can trade him for dirt cheap and get a 2nd round in return (even though he is worth more than that) and still keep their first.
Big patch of white space, then stuff that makes no sense.
Westbrick to knicks or hornets…
Every day I check this site hoping Westbrook goes anywhere BUT Charlotte.
Of course Jordan is a truly terrible judge of talent, so… ::sigh::
He loved Kwame Brown and history shows how that turned out.
I’m sorry for the rumored pick up.
If the package is just Batum and Rozier, is it still bad news to you?
I just don’t want Russ on my favorite team at all because it’d be for multiple years. Batum is overpaid, but it’s the last year and I like him as a player.
Are you seriously comparing first ballot HOFer Russell Westbrook to Kwame Brown? I get you don’t want the guy on your team, but that is just silly. At least just say you don’t like his style of play instead of trying to say he isn’t a great player. It only makes you look like you don’t know anything at all about what you are talking about.
No, wasn’t comparing Westbrook to Brown talent-wise- although I don’t think Russ is HoF material. He is obviously better than Brown was, though. I was just making a general statement that Jordan doesn’t understand what makes a good NBA player.
Man Westbrook is already a HoF for sure! That is a fact! There is 0% chance of him not making it! So as hiflew says either you like him or not, up to you, but Russ is a HoF easily, I mean no one in the whole world can even put that one for debate… SMH dude!
Not unless he has “mixed feelings about joining the Knicks” as well, which was Paul’s polite way of saying he would prefer to avoid if at all possible.
Which is the only reason he would be okay with Charlotte.
Maybe the magic trade for Westbrick.