THE 2015 NBA PRE SEASON THREAD: BEST WISHES TO LAMAR ODOM

[IATT]

Other than Harden, OKC has done well in team building. Everyone can't be the Spurs. Or a major market. Oklahoma City is not an attractive free agent destination.

I really hate revisionist history on the Perkins trade. OKC doesn't make the Finals in 2012 without trading for Perkins and having Ibaka slide in at the 4. Perkins was still a good post defender up until 2013.

Problem with Perkins is he declined rapidly. Getting him wasn't a bad move at all at the time. Most people applauded it. He was just really tough to unload, and plaything him 24mpg while he was there is not insane. Additionally, most Contenders just don't play rookies big minutes in the playoffs.

OKC drafts exceptionally well. Don't know what dude up there is talking about. Anytime you can draft 3 top 10 players back to back...a top 10 All defensive PF, and 2 promising young bigs, you're doing something right.

the problem with the perkins acquisition was the length of the contract he was signed to.. and having scotty in control of everything

dude played perk no matter what

 

[mr marcus]

 

 
sarcasm?

they drafted 3 superstars  who aren't even in their prime yet (well maybe just getting in it).....only mistake is getting rid of Harden 

I saw you made that edit just in time.

KD is trending downwards. Dude has foot injuries out the booty and we know what that can do to great players.

Russ won't be a second fiddle anymore. He's gone if KD stays imo

obviously a foot injury can ruin it but if his foot heels properly he'll be back where he left off 

 

[silverbackhoney]

in 2007 no one could see LeBron leaving Cleveland...hell 8 months ago no one thought LMA would be a Spur

i think KD will stay, but anything is possible

KD leaves if they don't make it to the WCF or further this year.

 

[IATT]

So, Durant going to pull a Marc Gasol?

I'm staying from any reports related to Durant leaving or staying until he's an actual free agent.

I just think these dudes realize we're in 2015.. that whole big market stuff is overrated (as blatantly shown this offseason)

Durant and westbrook could and do get everything they want while being in OKC right now.. winning is the biggest thing.. and I don't know which situation out there that is better than OKC from that perspective

 

[freeze]

I'd really love to see another LeBron/Durant Finals.

I'd much rather a Westbrook/Durant Finals.

 

[silverbackhoney]

 
I just think these dudes realize we're in 2015.. that whole big market stuff is overrated (as blatantly shown this offseason)

Durant and westbrook could and do get everything they want while being in OKC right now.. winning is the biggest thing.. and I don't know which situation out there that is better than OKC from that perspective

Market stuff doesn't mean anything.

But if the Thunder are one small trade or move away from being champs this year I expect KD/Russy would be upset. Many other teams would make that move and the thunder organization just hasn't in recent years.

 

[wavycrocket]

the problem with the perkins acquisition was the length of the contract he was signed to.. and having scotty in control of everything

dude played perk no matter what

Crazy thing is Perkins is only 30. Who'll coulda predicted that coming off of averaging 10ppg & 8rpg & 2bpg at age 25 that he would be washed by 28.

He gave OKC 2 1/2 solid years. That whole Scotty playing him thing was a little bit overblown.

Perk didn't even average over 20mpg his last few years there. Including the playoffs. Perkins was a good defender against strong low post bigs in the post season.

Timmy shot 44% against that Ibaka/Perkins frontline in 2012. The other bigs were just too young then.

Like somebody said earlier, one of the main reasons OKC hasn't won yet has a lot to do with untimely injuries. And the fact that they made the finals ahead of schedule.

They shouldn't have been there in 2012.

 

[IATT]

in 2007 no one could see LeBron leaving Cleveland...hell 8 months ago no one thought LMA would be a Spur

i think KD will stay, but anything is possible

LeBron left because the cavs were a terrible team without him..

OKC won 45 games in the west with all of those injuries.. literally this was okc at the very beginning of the year:

 

[junglejim]

 
Market stuff doesn't mean anything.

But if the Thunder are one small trade or move away from being champs this year I expect KD/Russy would be upset. Many other teams would make that move and the thunder organization just hasn't in recent years.

The market stuff does matter for the exact reason you downplay the Thunder.  Sure, they could probably get players to come there but they can't afford it because they don't make as much as the Lakers and the Knicks.  You can say the market has shifted because players dont want to player for the Lakers or the Knicks, but I wouldn't want to play on a crap awful team with a Kobe Bryant or Carmelo Anthony shooting 30 shots a game regardless of how much you paid me.

 

[julius wrek]

 

in 2007 no one could see LeBron leaving Cleveland...hell 8 months ago no one thought LMA would be a Spur

i think KD will stay, but anything is possible

LeBron left because the cavs were a terrible team without him..

OKC won 45 games in the west with all of those injuries.. literally this was okc at the very beginning of the year:

...and they paid Sebastian Telfair guaranteed money.

Later picked up Ish Smith when Russ was returning,

while a great 3 ball shooting wing in Robert Covington was just blowin' in the wind...

 

[captainsneakerhead23]

You guys sound ridiculous with the whole OKC FO hasn't done anything talk

 

[Lovetohate3000]

 
The market stuff does matter for the exact reason you downplay the Thunder.  Sure, they could probably get players to come there but they can't afford it because they don't make as much as the Lakers and the Knicks.  You can say the market has shifted because players dont want to player for the Lakers or the Knicks, but I wouldn't want to play on a crap awful team with a Kobe Bryant or Carmelo Anthony shooting 30 shots a game regardless of how much you paid me.

this sounds about right . 

 

[IATT]

 

the problem with the perkins acquisition was the length of the contract he was signed to.. and having scotty in control of everything

dude played perk no matter what

Crazy thing is Perkins is only 30. Who'll coulda predicted that coming off of averaging 10ppg & 8rpg & 2bpg at age 25 that he would be washed by 28.

He gave OKC 2 1/2 solid years. That whole Scotty playing him thing was a little bit overblown.

Perk didn't even average over 20mpg his last few years there. Including the playoffs. Perkins was a good defender against strong low post bigs in the post season.

Timmy shot 44% against that Ibaka/Perkins frontline in 2012. The other bigs were just too young then.

Like somebody said earlier, one of the main reasons OKC hasn't won yet has a lot to do with untimely injuries. And the fact that they made the finals ahead of schedule.

They shouldn't have been there in 2012.

nah man.. the biggest thing with scotty over playing perkins is dude had 1 legit nba skill, low post defense.. other than that you're playing him too much..

especially when you have collison right there who I would have rather seen get those mins.. or more recently steven adams

it took perkins being out for just over 20 games for scotty to give adams serious burn.. and literally took foul trouble for him to use adams in the playoffs even with perkins being ineffective

then you just have terrible matchups (like the finals) and scotty just stuck with him.. but that's scotty.. unless crap was just about to hit the fan, he wasn't changing anything

 

[wavycrocket]

The Market stuff definitely matters.

Pau Gasol chose Chicago over Oklahoma City because he likes the symphony's and the city of Chicago.

The market only doesn't matter to old vets ring chasing.

 

[silverbackhoney]

 
The market stuff does matter for the exact reason you downplay the Thunder.  Sure, they could probably get players to come there but they can't afford it because they don't make as much as the Lakers and the Knicks.  You can say the market has shifted because players dont want to player for the Lakers or the Knicks, but I wouldn't want to play on a crap awful team with a Kobe Bryant or Carmelo Anthony shooting 30 shots a game regardless of how much you paid me.

"Hey, we have KD and Russ. Want to win a championship?" every single FA in budget would fall for that

 

[jpzx]

Do you guys think you're speaking positively on OKC when saying any other team would take their F.O.? Because give those other teams Durant and Westbrook and they would find a way to bring in several guys who would love to play with Durant/Westbrook and win a title possibly for less than they're worth. Average is not acceptable when you have those two, because you have such a leg up other GM's in terms of who you can attract by having those two.

Not only does OKC have very meager returns on that advantage, but they have all of you drones out there talking about how most organizations would lay out the red carpet for their front office.

 

[wavycrocket]

"Hey, we have KD and Russ. Want to win a championship?" every single FA in budget would fall for that

Pau Gasol didn't...

 

[captainsneakerhead23]

"Hey, we have KD and Russ. Want to win a championship?" every single FA in budget would fall for that

Pau Gasol didn't...

EXACTLY .. dudes grasping for straws and not even spewing factual information at this point

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Do you guys think you're speaking positively on OKC when saying any other team would take their F.O.? Because give those other teams Durant and Westbrook and they would find a way to bring in several guys who would love to play with Durant/Westbrook and win a title possibly for less than they're worth. Average is not acceptable when you have those two, because you have such a leg up other GM's in terms of who you can attract by having those two.

Not only does OKC have very meager returns on that advantage, but they have all of you drones out there talking about how most organizations would lay out the red carpet for their front office.

which front office drafted durant and westbrook? ibaka and harden? steven adams?

thunder have doen a great job. only issues are trading harden and keeping brooks too long.

still a great foundation and team in OKC though.

 

[jpzx]

Oh, so Pau Gasol didn't go to Oklahoma City, so that debunks the idea that people would go to a ****** place for less money to play with Durant and Westbrook?

Pau Gasol has a lot of power over you. Apparently.

 

[jpzx]

which front office drafted durant and westbrook? ibaka and harden? steven adams?

thunder have doen a great job. only issues are trading harden and keeping brooks too long.

still a great foundation and team in OKC though.

I said in the past three years. Adams, NICE! That's one. Go on, please.

I swear if any of you bring up McGary. He's nice, what the hell is he going to do to change anything in OKC? That's the point. They have brought in nobody in the past three years that moved the needle, and that's an embarrassment when people are out there around the league this offseason voluntarily LOWERING their earnings just to go to a better team.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

mcgary is solid.

payne could be very good, we'll see.

 

[bhzmafia14]

Why people keep ignoring what they've done OUTSIDE OF THE DRAFT? Every time someone comes in here speaking about how OKC has failed to put the right talent around their stars they have drafted, people come right back in here and talk about WHO THEY DRAFTED.

NO ONE IS SAYING THEY CANNOT DRAFT. goodness

 

[captainsneakerhead23]

which front office drafted durant and westbrook? ibaka and harden? steven adams?

thunder have doen a great job. only issues are trading harden and keeping brooks too long.

still a great foundation and team in OKC though.

I said in the past three years. Adams, NICE! That's one. Go on, please.

You acting like they've consistently been a lottery team though ...

 

[jpzx]

It's not just the draft, again.