2019/20 Players' Transactions: Breaking News , Trades, Free Agents, And Rumors

If 18" plan isnt accomplished i see no future success with delaying it to the next yr, its never going to happen, we been on this ridiculous 2 max fa plan for far to long

 

A 34 year old Melo is still much better than anything we have.

Then there's that Russell Westbrook guy who just became the first player in decades to average a triple double. A top five player if not top three.

As currently constructed they're probably at worst the second best team in the West.

A few months ago as we know George said he would be crazy to leave if they made the WCF and I think he's right.

 

I do think we have to wait and see how they mesh. I'm skeptical any two of the three are a good fit with each other. With all three on the court at the same time... I feel like they're going to have to start every OKC possession with a jump ball between Melo, PG and Russ.

 

while there's a definite possibility PG is happy in OKC and stays, I would still bet on him leaving. The games need to be played and I don't understand how this team is suddenly "at worst" the 2nd best team in the West. I think it's a great move for OKC and makes them better, but they have serious issues with depth and chemistry. It could all come together, but even if it does that team isn't winning a championship and I think PG will just feel a little bit worse when he leaves for LA next summer.

 

Several of us had this same point of view. I haven't given up on us landing George, but I'm concerned.

 

Per USA Today's Sam Amick:

Yeah, I'm starting to get worried myself. But a part of me knows this is probably mandatory lip service. He knows he has a year residency there and has to make the best of it. I believe to my core that he would have been a Laker already, if not for the spiteful maneuvering of Indy (see tampering charges). He should have been ours this season, but Prickard would do anything to avoid it. PG even noticed it cause the first time he comes back to Indy, their program guide makes no mention of PG coming back "home". So Indy did everything to screw PG and the Lakers and I truly believe that.

But there is alot of hope in the details. Presti did not involve 1st round picks in both the PG and Melo deals...that honestly tells me that he knows there is a high probability that these guys are one and done. I know its still painful for a few of us, but go back to the CP3-Clipper deal. It was required of CP3 to opt into his player option making his contract a 2 year deal for the Clippers to feel comfortable in involving a 1st round pick to New Orleans. CP3 obviously wanted to head back to LA, so he agreed to those terms. Presti could have done the same for both George and Melo, but that obviously didn't transpire, so no 1st round pick was included in those deals.

Also lets not ignore that Russ has not signed his 207M extension with Oct. 16th bearing down on OKC. With Russ signing "the most lucrative total endorsement deal for a Jordan athlete to date" that stretches over 10 years, I'm assuming that whatever he loses in walking away from that OKC extension , is made up for and then some via the Jordan brand deal.

I'm sure we all don't like what PG said in that article and what OKC has the potential to do this coming season....but just looking into the details of how this all came to be, OKC looks very vulnerable right now. With the possibility of this being a 1 year stint for their superteam, there's alot of pressure that the Thunder will have looming over them for the entire season....and that might not make it a very pleasant experience for those guys.

 

I don't see how George will truly be happy playing with both Russ and Melo in OKC.

 

He'll be the 3rd option and he will like it!!

 

See ya.

 

sold us on 2 max guys, sacrificed a recent #2 pick to do so, I expect Rob/Magic to deliver 2 max guys....anything short of that its a failure to me. Bringing back the guys like KCP/Lopez keeps us competitive but no where near contending status.

 

one thing that i personally havent seen written anywhere but that i saw when paul george was being interviewed yesterday is that he kept stressing that he looks at each season individually and only focuses on the present because he knows every year players leave and teams are different.

to me he made it sound like he is going to focus on this season 100% with the thunder but completely keep his options open come FA this next offseason.

point being it made me feel a little better about his chances of still coming here. winning tends to make up minds so lets hope for some chemistry issues with okc

 

Yeah. I can’t lie. It will be a letdown if we come up empty again in free agency.

 

A rather glowing endorsement from Melo for staying in OKC beyond this year.