ALL-NBA, All The Money
Russell Westbrook is already qualified to receive a five-year extension once free agency opens because he was a first-team All-NBA selection last season.
Russell Westbrook isn’t the only player who’ll benefit from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Designated Veteran Player Exception.
Whether or not Westbrook is announced as an All-NBA First Team selection Thursday night, he’s already qualified to receive the DPE (a fiveyear extension from the Thunder valued at an estimated $219 million) once free agency opens in early July. He was a FirstTeamer last season.
To qualify for the DPE, players need to have done one of the following:
1. Been named Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, or have made one of the three AllNBA teams in the previous season.
2. Made one of three All-NBA teams or been named Defensive Player of the Year in two out of the three previous seasons.
3. Been named MVP in one of the three previous seasons.
Here are three franchise centerpieces who will have plenty riding on Thursday’s All-NBA announcements:
Paul George, SF, Indiana:
George and the Pacers each have the most to gain and lose. George has one more guaranteed year ($18.1 million) on his current contract, thus making him a DPE candidate for the Pacers … if he makes one of the three All-NBA teams. Like the Thunder with Westbrook, the Pacers can offer George more money and more years if he qualifies for the DPE. If he doesn’t, George – who is expected to opt out of his contract once it expires at the end of the 2017-18 season – could be on the trade block since the Pacers may fear losing him in free agency next summer. George, a California native, reportedly has strong interest in playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Why he’s on the edge:
George made the All-NBA Third Team last season, but missed it in 14-15.
Gordon Hayward, SF, Utah:
Hayward is coming off the best season of his career (21.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 39.8 3-point FGs). He’s expected to become a free agent after opting out of the final year of his contract in which he’s set to make $16.7 million. But if he makes All-NBA, Hayward could instead opt in and tack on five additional years, totaling six years, estimated at $236 million. Or if he doesn’t make All-NBA, he could opt out and sign a short-term deal, say 1-2 years with a player option with Utah, and try his luck at making All-NBA in the next few seasons in order to qualify for the DPE.
Why he’s on the edge:
Seven seasons into his career, Hayward has never made an All-NBA Team.
John Wall, PG, Washington:
Wall is under contract for two years, $37 million, but Washington will clearly explore every avenue to locking up the 26-year-old, who finished second in the league in assists per game. Wall is eligible to sign a three-year extension at 30 percent of the salary cap, but has made clear in recent seasons how he feels he’s undervalued after signing a five-year, $80 million contract in 2013 which came before the explosion of the salary cap. Qualifying for the DPE would elevate Wall’s salary to his level of play.
Why he’s on the edge:
While he’s a four-time All-Star, Wall has never made an All-NBA Team or a serious push for MVP or Defensive Player of the Year in seven seasons.
Mock options
If the Thunder wants a wing player in next month’s NBA Draft, there likely will be options.
And in online mock drafts on Wednesday, one in particular was a hip pick to land in Oklahoma City.
Three different major mock drafts projected the Thunder to select shooting guard Terrance Ferguson with its No. 21 pick in the June 22 NBA Draft. Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated and USA Today all pegged Ferguson as a future Thunder.
Three other mock drafts updated after Tuesday night’s NBA Draft Lottery had the Thunder looking elsewhere, but the wing was a common theme.
CBS projected Duke shooting guard Luke Kennard in OKC, while Draft Express tabbed Rodions
Kurucs, a 6-foot-9 small forward from Latvia who’s playing in Spain. ESPN had the Thunder picking Justin
Jackson, a small forward from national champion North Carolina.
It’s early, and much will change between now and the draft.
The Thunder could shop for a backup point guard there. Or, given the depth of big men available, it could take a power forward who stretches the floor.
The only certainty is the Oklahoma City will draft a player 21st. By NBA rule, the Thunder can’t trade the pick, though it can make a trade involving the player after he’s selected.