# Thunder going forward



## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

What should OKC do going forward? Here is an idea.

Draft a point/wing combination out of TJ Warren, Napier, Early, and Christon.

Split the MLE between Chris Kaman and Anthony Morrow. 

That leaves you with:

Kaman/Adams/Perkins
Ibaka/Collison/Jerrett
Durant/Jones/Warren
Morrow/Lamb/Roberson
Westbrook/Jackson/Christon

Gives you a low post scorer in Kaman, a deadly shooter in Morrow, a bench scorer in Warren, and a backup point in case Jackson bolts. And it keeps you under the luxury tax line.

Amnestying Perk doesn't create much cap room, and they seem to like him, so there is a chance he stays.

Thoughts?


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

I think OKC should go after Vince Carter and sign him for the vet min or a couple of mil a year. Even at 38 he can still give you 15-20 quality minutes off the bench.

Another guy that I would look at would be Ben Gordon. The guy's career has been a disaster since leaving Chicago but he's still only 31 and can be effective in the right system.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Kaman's not a bad idea for this team, but I feel like some team will still offer him more than the half-MLE. Regardless, this team does need a big man on the bench who can get some buckets.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Needs more Stephenson.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

What do people think about the Thunder going after OJ Mayo? He had a down year, so offering Perkins (shorter contract) + a pick might be able to get it done and give the Thunder another offensive weapon. Then sign a guy like Kaman to fill the center spot.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Wilt_The_Stilt said:


> What do people think about the Thunder going after OJ Mayo? He had a down year, so offering Perkins (shorter contract) + a pick might be able to get it done and give the Thunder another offensive weapon. Then sign a guy like Kaman to fill the center spot.


I don't think Perkins gets you anything, but if they somehow could swing that trade I think they have to do it. 

They need another guy who can score outside of Durant and Westbrook. That was painfully apparent against the Spurs. 

Is OJ Mayo that guy? Who knows. But hes a better option than what they have now.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

Reports are that the Bucks are shopping Mayo. I still like the idea of the Thunder trading Perk for him and then signing Kaman.

Would give them a more balanced offense.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Thunder just agreed to terms with Sebastian Telfair. They are really moving the needle now!


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Presti has never been the type of GM to make a big splash in free agency. He comes from the Spurs culture where you draft players and develop them, which means, chances are slim that they'll pursue a starting shooting guard in free agency. 

I do think he is active on the trade wire, trying to utilize that trade exception. Other than that though, I suspect that OKC will just expect more from Lamb, Jones, Roberson and Adams next season. 

This was the 2nd best team in the league last year, and had Ibaka not been hurt for 2 of the 6 games, maybe could have pushed the Spurs to 7 or pulled off the upset. Not a whole lot of changes are needed. Just a replacement for Thabo (who was terrible the back half of the season) and extending Jackson.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

They could still work out some sort of deal that nets them Pau Gasol, although it would probably need to be a sign-and-trade that nets the Lakers enough to get them to play along.


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Perkins would have to be involved though, which anchors the whole thing down. Nobody wants that contract. Or they'd have to amnesty Perkins, which they've already said they won't do.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Sir Patchwork said:


> Perkins would have to be involved though, which anchors the whole thing down. Nobody wants that contract. Or they'd have to amnesty Perkins, which they've already said they won't do.


Boston has a Perkins-sized TPE as well as a similar amount of non-guaranteed contracts, and there are enough teams floating around the league with cap space and nobody to spend it on that you could get rid of Perk pretty easily if you attach a future first. Hell, given the Lakers picks owed situation they might take Perk and roll their space over to next year if it netted them a pick or two to use in trades.


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## Adam (Jan 28, 2003)

Sir Patchwork said:


> This was the 2nd best team in the league last year


:keaf:


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Adam said:


> :keaf:


Well, if not OKC, who? Miami? OKC did about as well against San Antonio with an injured Ibaka as Miami did at full strength.


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Bogg said:


> Boston has a Perkins-sized TPE as well as a similar amount of non-guaranteed contracts, and there are enough teams floating around the league with cap space and nobody to spend it on that you could get rid of Perk pretty easily if you attach a future first. Hell, given the Lakers picks owed situation they might take Perk and roll their space over to next year if it netted them a pick or two to use in trades.


Valid points. I hope Presti is thinking along the same lines, although I'm worried that he is loyal and maybe overestimates Perkins impact on the team. Or maybe we underestimate his impact. I'm very torn about losing Perkins.


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Bogg said:


> Well, if not OKC, who? Miami? OKC did about as well against San Antonio with an injured Ibaka as Miami did at full strength.


Right, and I was referencing regular season record anyways. Nothing Miami did in the playoffs should make anyone believe they were better than the Spurs, Thunder or Clippers (teams that were better than them all year). You'd have to factor in previous seasons to conclude that, but this years Miami team was clearly inferior to the teams they fielded in previous seasons. I said it all year (and Adam made the same face all year).


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