Early Check-In On Protected 2020 First-Round Picks
We’re about a month into the NBA’s 2019/20 regular season, and no team has played more than 16 games. Still, based on what we’ve seen so far, we’re starting to get a sense of which teams will be competitive and which teams probably won’t.
As a picture begins to form of which teams will be vying for top seeds in each conference and which might be battling for lottery odds, it’s worth checking in on the traded first-round picks for 2020. Of next year’s 30 first-round selections, 10 have been traded, and all 10 have some form of protection on them, meaning the ’19/20 standings will dictate whether or not those first-rounders actually change hands.
Here’s an early look at which of those picks are safe bets to move, which ones will likely be kept, and which ones are still up in the air:
Likely to change hands:
- Bucks acquiring Pacers‘ pick (top-14 protected)
- Celtics acquiring Bucks‘ pick (top-7 protected)
- Nets acquiring Sixers‘ pick (top-14 protected)
- Thunder acquiring Nuggets‘ pick (top-10 protected)
The Bucks (11-3) and Nuggets (10-3) are currently competing for the No. 1 seed in their respective conferences. If that continues, the Celtics and Thunder can count on receiving picks in the late-20s.
Meanwhile, the Pacers (8-6) and Sixers (9-5) have been a little shakier since opening the season, but there’s little doubt that they’ll be playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. They’ll send their respective first-rounders to the Bucks and Nets, who will be hoping those picks land in the teens or at least the early-20s.
Unlikely to change hands:
- Grizzlies acquiring Jazz‘ pick (1-7, 15-30 protected)
- Nets acquiring Warriors‘ pick (top-20 protected)
- Sixers acquiring Thunder‘s pick (top-20 protected)
The protections on the Utah first-rounder included in the Mike Conley trade are meant to ensure that the Grizzlies don’t receive too high or too low a first-round pick. Assuming the Jazz (9-5) make the playoffs, as expected, they’d retain their 2020 pick and would owe Memphis their 2021 selection with the same protections.
The Warriors (3-13) and Thunder (5-9) picks are a little more interesting, since they won’t simply roll over to 2021 if and when they’re retained. If Golden State keeps its 2020 pick, the team will only owe Brooklyn its 2025 second-rounder. Oklahoma City, meanwhile, would owe Philadelphia its 2022 and 2023 second-round picks if its 2020 first-rounder falls into its protected range.
Still up in the air:
- Celtics acquiring Grizzlies‘ pick (top-6 protected)
- Hawks acquiring Nets‘ pick (top-14 protected)
- Pelicans acquiring Cavaliers‘ pick (top-10 protected)
The Grizzlies have been frisky so far, but they’re just 5-9 and will likely finish among the West’s worst teams. Whether or not they hang onto their 2020 first-rounder may come down to lottery luck. If it falls in the top six and Memphis keeps it, Boston would be in line to acquire the Grizzlies’ unprotected 2021 first-round selection.
The Hawks will need the Nets to make the postseason to receive their first-rounder in 2020. That’s not a lock, but it still seems likely — despite a modest 6-8 record, Brooklyn holds the No. 7 seed in the East. If the Nets miss the playoffs and keep their first-round pick in 2020, they’ll owe a lottery-protected 2021 first-rounder to Atlanta.
Finally, it may just be a matter of time before we can move the Cavaliers’ first-rounder into the “unlikely to change hands” group. The team is putting in a good effort under new head coach John Beilein, but is just 4-10 so far. Unless things improve, the Cavaliers’ pick will remain in the top 10 and they’ll keep it, instead sending their 2021 and 2022 second-rounders to New Orleans.
Bulls Notes: Boylen, Hutchison, Harrison, Rose, Deng
The 5-10 Bulls are off to a somewhat disappointing start to the 2019/20 season, but head coach Jim Boylen‘s standing within the franchise remains strong, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Asked about where things stand between him and team management, Boylen acknowledged that the club has been frustrated by its start and is seeking more consistency, but said the Bulls’ higher-ups have his back.
“Since I’ve been here I’ve never felt more supported than I am right now,” Boylen said. “From ownership, management, and [vice president of basketball operations] John [Paxson]. We talk every day and we communicate, and we’re in step. We’re in step in a lot of ways, and we’re also in step in our frustration where we would like to play better more consistently.”
Here’s more out of Chicago:
- Chandler Hutchison, who had taken on an increased role in Otto Porter‘s absence, has an injury of his own. As Eric Woodyard of ESPN tweets, Hutchison missed Wednesday’s game due to sore shins and there’s no set timetable for his return, per Boylen.
- Shaquille Harrison, the only player on the Bulls’ roster without a fully guaranteed salary for 2019/20, started in Hutchison’s place on Wednesday and is making a case to have his minimum-salary deal guaranteed. Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago has the story on Harrison’s impressive 15-point, 11-rebound outing vs. Detroit.
- In an appearance on NBC Sports Chicago’s Bulls Talk podcast, Derrick Rose looked back on his time in Chicago and speculated that if “load management” had been common at the time, it may have helped extend his tenure as a Bull (video link).
- Luol Deng, who signed a one-day contract to retire as a Bull earlier this year, was celebrated by the team on Wednesday and explained why he wanted to return to Chicago to make his retirement official. “It’s what made sense,” Deng said, per Woodyard at ESPN.com. “Chicago means a lot to me when you look back, just at my career as a basketball player coming here as a young man, 19, but it’s a lot of history here and I wanted it to end the right way. The best way to do it is with familiar faces and people that know me very well.”
Eastern Notes: Love, Thompson, Bucks, Silva, Kurucs
Sources close to Cavaliers veterans Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson tell Joe Vardon of The Athletic that both big men would ideally like to play for a team with a chance to win a championship. However, Vardon warns not to read too much into that, suggesting that neither player has given any indication he wants out of Cleveland.
Additionally, even if the Cavaliers decide to try to deal Love or Thompson, it’s not clear if there would be a strong market for either player, Vardon notes. That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t appeal to contenders, but trade chatter around the NBA is “way down,” according to one general manager who spoke to The Athletic, and Love’s and Thompson’s big cap hits would make them tricky to move.
Over at The Ringer, Kevin O’Connor tries to identify a few teams that might match up with the Cavaliers in a Love trade, writing that rival team executives believe GM Koby Altman is “just posturing” when he insists Cleveland has zero interest in moving the five-time All-Star. However, O’Connor has a tough time finding ideal fits, listing the Kings, Spurs, Heat, Trail Blazers, and Rockets as some teams that might work in theory.
As Altman and the Cavs consider their options, here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer believes the departure of Malcolm Brogdon is a shadow hanging over the Bucks‘ season and advises Milwaukee to consider Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic as a potential trade target to help fill that void.
- As cap expert Albert Nahmad (Twitter links) explains, the hard-capped Heat won’t be able to convert Chris Silva from his two-way deal to a standard contract any earlier than January 14, but they may be able to continue using him in most games up until that point, since the NBA has relaxed its rules regarding service time for two-way players.
- Nets forward Rodions Kurucs appeared in court this week for a third hearing in his domestic violence case, as Andrew Denney of The New York Post details. Kurus, who was accused of choking his now-ex-girlfriend, is due to return to court on January 8.
- In a mailbag, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer explores whether Devonte’ Graham, not Terry Rozier, has become Kemba Walker‘s replacement for the Hornets. Bonnell also dives into Charlotte’s solid start to the season, the team’s rotation, and potential trade-deadline plans.
Trail Blazers Waive Pau Gasol
6:12pm: The move is official, the Trail Blazers announced on Twitter.
3:50pm: The Trail Blazers have released veteran big man Pau Gasol, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Gasol himself announced the news on Instagram, suggesting he’ll now be able to “focus all my energy on my rehabilitation.”
As Wojnarowski notes, Gasol underwent surgery on his left foot in the spring and has remained sidelined this fall as he attempts to rehab that injury. According to Woj, Gasol and the Blazers are working on a potential coaching role for the 39-year-old as he remains in Portland for rehab purposes.
Hopefully Gasol can get back to 100%, since it would be unfortunate to see him forced into retirement for health reasons. At age 39, the odds may be against a comeback, but even if he doesn’t play in another NBA game, he has a Hall of Fame résumé, including four All-NBA nods, two championships, and three Olympic medals.
Portland is now back down to 14 players after signing Carmelo Anthony as its 15th man on Tuesday. The Blazers may keep that final roster spot open for now in order to avoid tacking more money onto their projected tax bill. However, the opening could come in handy if the team wants to add more frontcourt depth as Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins continue to recover from injuries of their own.
Interestingly, while Gasol was believed to be on a guaranteed minimum-salary contract, Wojnarowski says the Blazers “had protections” on that one-year deal. ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets that the agreement included an Exhibit 3 clause for a “prior injury exclusion.” That clause protected the Blazers in the event that Gasol’s left ankle and foot continued to cause problems, though it’s unclear exactly how much the team will save.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Paul George Talks 2017 Trade Request, Teaming Up With Kawhi
After sitting out the Clippers‘ last three games due to a left knee contusion, Kawhi Leonard will suit up tonight against Boston, marking the first time that Leonard and Paul George will play together for the franchise, per Ohm Youngmisuk and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
For George, it will be the culmination of what has been a years-long desire to team up with Leonard, as he tells Youngmisuk in a separate ESPN article. According to George, when he requested a trade out of Indiana in 2017, the Lakers were widely believed to be his desired landing spot, but he also had interest in being sent to the Spurs, who still had Kawhi on their roster at the time.
“I wanted to be traded to San Antonio,” George told Youngmisuk. “We wanted to go to San Antonio first, and we didn’t make that happen.”
A source confirms to ESPN that the Spurs and Pacers talked at the time, but San Antonio lacked the assets necessary to make a move for George. The Lakers ultimately passed too, since they were reluctant to surrender too many assets for a player they thought they might be able to sign in free agency, writes Youngmisuk. George was eventually dealt to Oklahoma City, but still hoped to team up with Leonard at some point down the road.
“Since that moment, we were trying to pair up with one another,” George said. “We were trying to make it work. [After being traded to the Thunder] I had obligations that I wanted to come back to Oklahoma and give it another shot. … And then I felt that I needed to move on, I needed to go in another direction and I needed to at that point do what I wanted to do my whole career.”
About four or five days before news broke this summer that the Clippers had reached deals to acquire George and sign Leonard, Kawhi reached out to PG13 to see if the time was finally right to try to play together. Although it took another trade request from George, the two star forwards did ultimately end up on the same roster in Los Angeles. Now, they’ll take the court together as teammates for the first time.
“Just seems like it was destined,” George said over the summer. “We were supposed to play together.”
2020 NBA Free Agent Power Rankings 1.0
Always viewed as a weaker class than the 2019 or 2021 groups, the 2020 free agent class has taken a considerable hit in recent months, as many of next year’s most intriguing potential free agents have agreed to contract extensions, taking them off the market for the next several years.
Since the 2019/20 league year began, Draymond Green, Kyle Lowry, and Eric Gordon are among the veterans who have taken themselves out of the 2020 free agent class by signing extensions. Meanwhile, almost every high-ceiling player eligible for restricted free agency in ’20 inked an early rookie scale extension. That group includes Ben Simmons, Jamal Murray, Pascal Siakam, Jaylen Brown, Buddy Hield, Domantas Sabonis, and Dejounte Murray, among others.
The upshot? An already-thin 2020 free agent list has thinned out even further. Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still several intriguing names among the players who are expected to be available next offseason.
Below, we’ve taken our first crack at ranking the top potential free agents for 2020. While this is our first extended look at 2020’s best free agents, it won’t be our last. Extensions, injuries, breakout years, trades, and poor performances figure to affect these rankings over the course of the 2019/20 season, so we’ll eventually be revisiting the list to make updates and changes.
Our list reflects each player’s current expected value on the 2020 free agent market, rather than how we think they’ll perform on the court for the 2019/20 season. For instance, older players like Marc Gasol and Paul Millsap have strong short-term value, but didn’t crack our top 20 because they’ll be 35 next summer and are unlikely to sign huge, long-term deals. In other words, age and long-term value is important.
Here’s the first installment of our 2020 free agent power rankings:
Anthony Davis, F/C, Lakers (player option): A three-time member of the All-NBA First Team, Davis is certainly worthy of the No. 1 spot on a free agent list, regardless of whether the class is weak or strong. However, he’ll be the only superstar on the market in 2020 and there are no indications at this point that he won’t simply re-sign with the Lakers. If that changes, it’ll make the ’20 offseason a whole lot more interesting.- Brandon Ingram, F, Pelicans (RFA): One of the only top 2016 draft picks who didn’t sign an extension this year, Ingram is showing that he deserved one, with 25.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, and a .522/.444/.741 shooting line through 10 games. As long as he remains healthy, he’ll be a strong candidate for a maximum-salary contract.
- Andre Drummond, C, Pistons (player option): Although he has earned a couple All-Star nods over the years, Drummond has generally hovered below the NBA’s top tier of centers. He’s making a case early this season that he deserves a spot in that group, with a career-high 19.6 PPG and a league-leading 17.0 RPG. He has even taken great strides to address his free throw deficiencies, with a career-best 69.4% mark so far in 2019/20.
- DeMar DeRozan, G/F, Spurs (player option): DeRozan could end up exercising his $27.7MM player option for 2020/21, but he’s still just 30 years old and this summer might be his best chance for one last big payday. Despite the Spurs’ early struggles and his increasing aversion to three-point shots (he’s 7-for-49 since arriving in San Antonio), DeRozan is scoring as efficiently as ever, with a career-high .518 FG% through 14 games.
- Gordon Hayward, F, Celtics (player option): Hayward, who is sidelined with a broken left hand, will need to finish strong this season to hold onto this spot or potentially move higher. But before that injury, he looked like his old self, averaging 18.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 4.1 APG on .555/.433/.842 shooting in his first eight games. Like DeRozan, Hayward is no lock to turn down his player option, since it’s a big figure ($34.2MM) and few teams will have cap room to pursue him.
- Danilo Gallinari, F, Thunder: Gallinari is showing this season that his career year with the Clippers in 2018/19 wasn’t a fluke, as most of his per-minute rates are in the same ballpark as last season. Assuming he can play in at least 65 or 70 games this season and maintain those numbers, he’ll be highly sought after by teams in need of a stretch four.
- Fred VanVleet, G, Raptors: After his coming-out party in last season’s NBA Finals, VanVleet has carried that success over to the regular season, with 17.2 PPG and 7.6 APG through 13 games. He’s just 25 years old, and after starting alongside Kyle Lowry earlier this season, he has been proving since Lowry injured his thumb that he can handle the starting point guard job as well.
- Mike Conley, G, Jazz (early termination option): Is it an overreaction to Conley’s slow start to place VanVleet ahead of him? Maybe. Still, as Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer points out, Conley’s downward statistical trends, injury history, and diminishing athleticism are causes for concern. If Conley bounces back, he’ll rise on this list. If he doesn’t, he may end up opting into the final year of his current contract and collecting his $34.5MM ETO salary.
- Bogdan Bogdanovic, G/F, Kings (RFA): After a slow start to the season, Bogdanovic has been scorching hot over his last six games, with 21.3 PPG, 6.7 APG, and 2.3 SPG, plus a .530/.565/.933 shooting line. He won’t keep up that pace, but the 27-year-old is showing he’s a versatile option who can play multiple positions, score, and set up his teammates.
- Otto Porter, F, Bulls (player option): Porter is no superstar, but he has been one of the NBA’s more reliable three-and-D forwards in recent years, with a .427 3PT% since the start of the 2016/17 campaign. Harrison Barnes is a good point of comparison for Porter — last summer, at age 27, Barnes turned down a $25MM+ player option to sign a four-year, $85MM deal. Porter, 27 in June, could look to make a similar move with his $28.5MM player option in 2020 if he has a good year.
Montrezl Harrell, C, Clippers: Viewed at the time as a throw-in in the 2017 blockbuster that sent Chris Paul to Houston, Harrell has evolved into one of the Clippers’ most important players and a legit Sixth Man of the Year candidate. The 25-year-old is establishing new career highs in PPG (18.9), RPG (7.4), and APG (2.6) so far while making at least 60% of his field goal attempts for a fifth straight season.- Serge Ibaka, F/C, Raptors: It may feel as if Ibaka has been around forever, but he’ll only be 30 years old when he reaches unrestricted free agency next offseason. And even though he has been relegated to a bench role in Toronto, his per-minute numbers suggest he’s still capable of being a starter and a solid rim protector.
- Evan Fournier, G/F, Magic (player option): Fournier is probably miscast as the primary perimeter scorer for a Magic team that lacks offensive creators. Still, his on/off-court numbers this season reflect his value to Orlando’s offense. The club has a 109.6 offensive rating when he plays, compared to a dismal 91.9 mark when he sits. Fournier will have to pass on a $17.2MM player option to reach the open market, which isn’t necessarily a lock.
- Derrick Favors, C, Pelicans: While Favors had long been a solid contributor alongside Rudy Gobert in Utah, the trade that sent him to New Orleans cleared a path for him to show that he’s a starting center in his own right. Injuries have slowed him in the season’s first month, but Favors’ performance in the Pelicans’ upset win over the Clippers last Thursday showed what he can do — he posted his third consecutive double-double that night, with 20 points and 20 rebounds, including nine offensive boards.
- Marcus Morris, F, Knicks: There could be several recently-signed Knicks returning to the free agent market next summer, but Morris is the only with a straight one-year contract, making him a lock to reach the open market. He’s showing in the early going this year that he can handle a larger scoring role (18.6 PPG, .455 3PT%), though any contending team that signs him will probably want him to be more of a role player.
- Jerami Grant, F, Nuggets (player option): Grant is capable of placing higher on this list, but the 25-year-old has struggled to adjust to his new home in Denver this season, with just 9.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and a .300 3PT%. At his best, Grant is a versatile three-and-D weapon who can play multiple positions. So far though, the Nuggets have a +13.7 net rating when he’s off the court and an ugly -7.2 mark when he plays.
- Tristan Thompson, C, Cavaliers: Thompson likely wouldn’t have cracked my top-20 list during the preseason, but he has been impressive in his first 13 games. The 28-year-old big man is doing his usual thing on defense and on the boards (10.1 RPG), and new head coach John Beilein has empowered him to do more on offense too — Thompson is averaging career highs in PPG (14.5), APG (2.2), and FGA (11.6).
- Joe Harris, G/F, Nets: The Nets are off to a slow start, but it’s not because of Harris, who has once again been one of the NBA’s most dangerous long-distance shooters. He’s knocking down 43.2% of a career-high 5.7 three-point attempts per game this season.
- Dillon Brooks, F, Grizzlies (RFA): An up-and-coming three-and-D wing, Brooks is back in the Grizzlies’ starting lineup this season, and the team has played significantly better when he’s on the floor. Memphis has a -1.3 net rating in Brooks’ 381 minutes; in 296 minutes without him, that rating plummets to -17.0. He’ll also be just 24 years old next July, so a team that likes him should have no qualms about investing long-term.
- Malik Beasley, G, Nuggets (RFA): Like his teammate Grant, Beasley would be higher on this list if not for his slow start. I expected Beasley to play a major role for Denver this season, but he has been a victim of an overcrowded rotation as of late, totaling just 19 minutes – with two DNPs – in the team’s last five games. On the plus side, he’s still making 40% of his three-pointers.
Disagree strongly with any of our rankings? Feel like we omitted any players that should be in the top 20? Weigh in below in the comments section to let us know!
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Marvin Bagley III Out At Least Four More Games
While Marvin Bagley III will travel with the Kings on their upcoming four-game East Coast road trip, he won’t play in any of those four games, the club announced today (via Twitter).
According to the Kings, Bagley was re-evaluated today, and while he continues to make progress in his recovery from a broken right thumb, he’s still at least a week away from returning. He’ll be re-evaluated after the Kings return to Sacramento following a road trip that will take the team to Brooklyn, Washington, Boston, and Philadelphia.
Based on the Kings’ announcement, Bagley’s earliest possible return date would be Saturday, November 30, when Sacramento hosts the Nuggets.
In the meantime, Sacramento will continue to roll out a starting lineup that features Richaun Holmes and Nemanja Bjelica in the frontcourt. As we noted in our roundup of Kings notes earlier this afternoon, that duo has been effective for the club lately, helping key a stretch of six wins in eight games. The Kings, who have been without Bagley since opening night and are missing De’Aaron Fox as well, are just one game back of the No. 8 seed in the West.
Kings Notes: Bagley, Holmes, Hield
Kings big man Marvin Bagley III is ramping up his individual workouts and is close to returning from the broken thumb that has sidelined him since opening night, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Bagley, who will be re-evaluated on Wednesday, will join the club on its four-game East Coast road trip that begins Friday, but head coach Luke Walton still has to figure out how he’ll use the former No. 2 overall pick once he’s back.
As Anderson details, the Kings have won six of their last eight games with Nemanja Bjelica and Richaun Holmes in the starting lineup. The duo has been effective over the last couple weeks, so Walton will have to decide whether to reinsert Bagley into the starting five or to roll with what his been working, perhaps bringing the second-year big man off the bench.
“We’re going to get him back into practice and see how things are going, try groupings and all the things you mentioned,” Walton said. “But there’s no answer to any of that right now.”
Here’s more on the Kings:
- After the Kings splurged in free agency over the summer on Harrison Barnes, Cory Joseph, Dewayne Dedmon, and Trevor Ariza, their modest two-year, $9.8MM deal with Richaun Holmes was almost an afterthought. But Holmes has been a key part of the club’s early-season success, as Sean Deveney of Forbes.com outlines. “Every time I coached against him, he’s killed us,” Walton said of the journeyman center. “But he’s never really played major minutes, at least from what I’ve seen. So we were excited to get him. … He has been as solid and steady as anyone we’ve had on our team.”
- Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield was fined $25K by the NBA this week for kicking the game ball into the stands at the end of the team’s win over Boston, as Sean Cunningham of ABC10 Sacramento tweets (video link). Hield later joked on Twitter that he should’ve kicked it harder to get his money’s worth.
- In case you missed it earlier today, Kings assistant Igor Kokoskov was named the new head coach of the Serbian National Team. He’ll likely coach Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nemanja Bjelica, and a handful of other NBA players as Serbia looks to qualify for the 2020 Olympics.
Andrew Bogut Open To NBA Return After NBL Season
After finishing the 2018/19 season with the Warriors, veteran center Andrew Bogut returned to Australia to rejoin the Sydney Kings. However, with his Kings contract set to expire in the spring, Bogut is open to the idea of returning to the NBA after Australia’s National Basketball League season ends, like he did last season.
“The NBA? Yeah, possibly,” Bogut told RSN radio this week, per Ronny Lerner of The Sydney Morning Herald. “I doubt the Warriors will come calling because I think they’re going to go, obviously, full rebuild mode. But I think it’s definitely feasible if it’s the right situation, but I won’t go back just for the sake of going back.”
Last season, the Kings allowed Bogut to play in the NBA while he was still technically under contract with the Australian club. He joined the Warriors in mid-March, then headed back to Sydney to complete the second year of his two-year contract. Once the 2019/20 NBL season is over and his Kings contract is up, Bogut should have a clearer path to joining an NBA team.
With the Warriors no longer a viable option, the former No. 1 overall pick will have some specific criteria in mind as he considers whether or not to return stateside.
“An opportunity to try and win a championship will be the main thing in the NBA,” Bogut said. “I wouldn’t go back to the NBA just to play in the NBA, it’s more that [trying to win a title] — and somewhere that I’m kind of familiar with and somewhere where I feel comfortable for the family as well would be the other priority.”
As Lerner relays, Bogut also pointed out that he’ll be gearing up to play for Australia in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo next year, so preparing for those games will be a consideration as he weighs an NBA return.
The big man, who turns 35 next Thursday, played limited minutes in 11 regular season games and 19 playoff contests for Golden State earlier this year. For now, he’s focused on trying to help lead the 9-1 Sydney Kings to an NBL title.
“I’d really like to have an NBL trophy,” Bogut said. “I think that’s kind of what’s driving me to get out there and be competitive and the team’s faring well so we have a good chance to do that.”
Thunder Notes: George Trade, SGA, Adams
Although the Thunder didn’t initially want to move Paul George during the summer when he requested a trade, the franchise was widely lauded for the package it extracted from the Clippers in the deal the two teams eventually made. Among those who thought the Thunder did well? George himself, who spoke about the trade this week when he faced his old team.
“I thought it worked out great for them,” George said (video link via Ben Golliver of The Washington Post). “I think Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) is a future star and he’s proven that he can carry a load. … He works hard, works on his game. And then him just being under CP (Chris Paul), he’s going to learn so much. So they got a star. And Danilo (Gallinari) is a proven scorer, a big-time scorer.
“And then, I mean, the 100 picks that they got,” George continued with a laugh. “Their future’s bright. (Thunder general manager) Sam Presti‘s a proven expert at drafting and they’re going to be great in the future.”
As George noted, the Thunder received five first-round picks in the trade, including four unprotected first-rounders, along with the ability to swap two additional first-rounders with L.A. While it wasn’t quite “100 picks,” it was a massive haul for OKC, and a price the Clippers were willing to pay because they knew it would mean securing a commitment from Kawhi Leonard as well.
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- George isn’t the only member of the Clippers who believes Gilgeous-Alexander has star potential. As Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman relays, Lou Williams said his former backcourt mate is “gonna be a star,” while head coach Doc Rivers went one step further, calling SGA a potential “superstar” and lamenting the fact that he had to be dealt to OKC to get George. “Obviously it’s the price of doing business in the NBA and it’s a trade you have to do, right?” Rivers said. “But as excited as I was when we knew that the whole deal was going through, when (president of basketball operations) Lawrence (Frank) told me the Shai name was still in it, you were sad. You were disappointed.”
- Veteran Thunder center Steven Adams is still limited by a knee injury that sidelined him for a handful of games earlier this season, Mussatto writes for The Oklahoman. Nerlens Noel was OKC’s center down the stretch on Tuesday while Adams sat. “Obviously we’re dealing with Steven’s knee still,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “I don’t want to say he’s on a minutes restriction, but we’re trying to be mindful and keep him in a range.”
- In case you missed it, we identified Chris Paul as one veteran to watch in our first look at potential 2019/20 trade candidates in the Northwest division.