Thunder Pull Off "Great Trade Robbery" With Chicago
By Randy Renner, Senior Writer
Thunder fans like to say “In Presti We Trust” in homage to OKC general manager Sam Presti and from all indications Presti has pulled off another steal.
Minutes before the NBA trade deadline hit Thursday afternoon the Thunder sent backup point guard Cameron Payne, backup forward Joffrey Lauvergne and backup shooting guard Anthony Morrow to Chicago for Bulls starting power forward Taj Gibson, small forward Doug McDermott and a 2018 second round draft pick.
"I think we're a better team this evening than we were this morning," Presti told reporters in a Thursday night news conference officially announcing the moves.
"We were able to add some things that will help our team," Presti said. "Adding the shooting (with McDermott) to space the floor, giving yourself another frontcourt player and pick-and-roll defender (in Gibson) getting those two guys makes us a better basketball team."
The move also frees up a roster spot for the Thunder which the team could use to acquire another point guard, or perhaps...wait for it...veteran big man Kendrick Perkins who visited Oklahoma City just before the All-Star break and indicated he would love to return.
Presti wouldn't tip his hand much as to what he'll do with that roster spot other than saying the team would love to bring someone in. Could that someone be Perkins?
"Perk's been here and the door is always open to our former players, so he's part of the family," Presti said. "Him being here, I understand that, but I don't want to speculate on who might be the 15th."
Still, it seems like quite a stretch to bring Perk back at the expense of a veteran point guard especially considering OKC’s backup at that position right now is rookie Semaj Christon. Of course Victor Oladipo can be used at that position too and played quite a bit of point guard while Payne was out rehabbing from that broken foot.
The Thunder managed to keep defensive specialist Andre Roberson despite the Bulls pushing for his inclusion in the trade. Roberson will be a restricted free agent after the season and Presti is hoping no team will offer Roberson a contract the Thunder couldn’t realistically match.
Gibson is in the last year of his contract and is making $8.95 million. He will be an unrestricted free agent and it’s not clear right now if OKC would pursue a new deal with Gibson.
"We always try to keep free agents we think are valuable," Presti said when asked about Gibson's long-term future.
The veteran Bulls starting power forward would probably replace rookie Domas Sabonis in OKC’s starting lineup. The Thunder love Sabonis and his upside for the future but for a playoff push this season Gibson is a far more savvy player who is having one of his best seasons.
Gibson is averaging 11.6 points on 52.1 percent shooting, both numbers better than his career averages of 9.4 points on 49.5 percent. Gibson is also averaging 7.0 rebounds a game and a front line of Gibson and Steven Adams would be a force down low.
McDermott was the best 3-point shooter on the NBA’s worst 3-point shooting team. He’s hitting 37.6 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc, which is down from his 39.9 percent career mark.
He’s averaging a career-high 10.2 points this season and a career-high 3.0 rebounds. The Thunder hope McDermott be a much more consistent threat from deep, plus play better defense, than Morrow.
And since McDermott was one of the few real offensive threats the Bulls had defenders tended to stick with him and Chicago used a mix of various ineffective point guards this season and that didn't do much to help the man they call "Dougie McBuckets" either. He won't have that problem in OKC with Russell Westbrook driving and dishing.
Morrow tweeted a thank you to Thunder fans yesterday afternoon saying “Oklahoma thank you for all you’ve done for my family and I. I can’t express what this last 2.5 years have been like. It’s been a blessing.”
Morrow is suffering through a terrible season shooting the ball, hitting just 29.4 percent of his threes, well below his 41.7 percent career number. Morrow was also in the last year of his contract and it was becoming doubtful the Thunder would attempt to re-sign him.
McDermott on the other hand is signed through next season making $2.48 million this season and $3.29 million in 2017-18.
OKC didn’t want to give up on Payne but the second year player struggled this season coming back from a foot injury, plus playing in the shadow of Westbrook didn’t help. The Bulls are hoping Payne can blossom in Chi-Town and can even take over the starting job.
The Thunder flew McDermott and Gibson into Oklahoma City last night via private jet and today the duo will be at the team's practice facility for physicals and paperwork so it's doubtful they will be ready to play tonight against the Lakers but Sunday against New Orleans might be realistic.
In another bit of Thunder news Enes Kanter came through yesterday’s full contact practice in good shape and though neither he nor head coach Billy Donovan would commit to Kanter being a go for the Lakers game it certainly looks like that is a distinct possibility.