TURNING POINT
Three trades the Thunder could make for Chris Paul
Chris Paul hinted at the uncertainty of the Thunder's offseason.
“I don' t know what the future holds,” Paul said a day after the Thunder was eliminated in the first round, “but what I can say is that this team, I think I made some connections and bonds with these guys that will last a lifetime.
“I hate that it ended as early as it did, but Oklahoma City will always have a special place in my heart.”
Paul's message wasn't necessarily a farewell, but it sure sounded like one. A week later,
coach Billy Donovan and the Thunder mutually agreed to part ways. The Thunder couldn't make any roster promises to Donovan, so Donovan left town after five years.
Paul's status will decide how soon the Thunder enters its inevitable rebuild. If Paul isn't traded this offseason, the Thunder could re-sign Danilo Gallinari and trot out the same team that captured the No. 5 seed in the West this season. If Paul is dealt, it's time to tank.
The 35- year-old point guard is under contract for $ 41.4 million next season with a player option for $44.2 million in 2021-22 that he'll surely pick up.
Paul's contract is still difficult to trade given his salary and age, but there should be a few suitors. These are by no means predictions, but rather ideas of what a trade involving Paul might look like with three teams that have reportedly been interested in him:
Milwaukee
Thunder receives: Eric Bledsoe, Donte DiVincenzo, George Hill, Ersan Ilyasova, 2025 first-round pick
Bucks receive: Chris Paul
Why it makes sense for the Thunder
A 2025 unprotected first-round pick from Milwaukee could be quite valuable if Giannis Antetokounmpo leaves the Cream City.
If not, Donte DiVincenzo makes for a nice consolation prize. DiVincenzo averaged 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in his second season. He shot 33.6% from 3-point range, which was an improvement from his 26.5% rookie mark. DiVincenzo received two votes for All-Defense.
Bledsoe needs to be included for the money to work. The 30-year-old point guard is due $16.9 million next season, $18.1 million in 2021-22 and $19.4 million in 2022-23. The final year is partially guaranteed. Bledsoe is still playing at a high level, especially on defense. He could stay in Oklahoma City or be re-routed elsewhere.
The Thunder needs to take back more salary, possibly in the contracts of veterans George Hill and Ersan Ilyasova. A third team will need to be involved if the Thunder doesn't want to take back four players. Hill, 34, is owed $9.6 million next year and $10 million in 2021-22, but he only has a partial guarantee of $1.3 million in his final year. Ilyasova, 33, is set to make $7 million next season in the last year of his contract.
Why it makes sense for the Bucks
Paul is an upgrade over Bledsoe, and this is the type of win-now move the Bucks might need to make to please Antetokounmpo. A big three of Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Paul would be a nightmare to face in the playoffs. The Bucks have lacked a third star.
New York
Thunder receives: Julius Randle, Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina, 2023 first-round pick (via Dallas)
Knicks receive: Chris Paul, Hamidou Diallo
Why it makes sense for the Thunder
The Thunder can acquire three former top-10 picks while not taking back any onerous contracts.
Knox is the most intriguing player in the deal despite a terribly inefficient first two seasons. Of the 259 players who appeared in at least 50 games this season, Knox ranked 255th in true shooting percentage. He shot 35.9% overall and 32.7% from behind the arc.
The good news is that Knox just turned 21, and he has the tools and size (6-foot-7) to improve. Knox was a former 5-star prospect coming out of high school, and he was the leading scorer on a Kentucky team that also featured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Hamidou Diallo. Ntilikina, like Knox, might benefit from a change of scenery and system. The third-year point guard might never grow into an above average offensive player, but Ntilikina already has elite defensive skills, and he's only 22. Randle needs to be included to make the money work. He's New York's highest-paid player, and is due $18.9 million next season. He's owed $19.8 million in 2021-22, but only $4 million is guaranteed.
Randle averaged 19.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his first season with the Knicks, but his shooting percentage (46%) was down from his career average (49.3%). Randle was forced to be the primary option on a bad Knicks team, but he's better suited as a complementary piece.
Randle, entering his age 26 season, most likely wouldn't be a long-term investment for the Thunder. He could eventually be flipped for another asset. Sam Presti might ask for a firstrounder to sweeten the deal, but the Knicks shouldn't part with a valuable pick. New York's 2023 first-round pick from Dallas might be a good compromise. It's likely to fall in the mid to late 20s.
Why it makes sense for the Knicks
Paul has been rumored to the Knicks ever since Leon Rose, Paul's former agent, was named team president in March. Entering his age 35 season, Paul might not want to lead a rebuild, but there's still the allure of New York and Madison Square Garden, and Paul's relationship with Rose makes it a natural landing place.
The Knicks can easily absorb Paul's contract given their clean cap sheet for the next several seasons, and Paul would provide immediate stability to a flailing franchise.
Much like Paul mentored Gilgeous-Alexander and Darius Bazley, he could do the same for young Knicks cornerstones R.J. Barrett and Mitchell Robinson. To soften the blow of losing young pieces like Knox and Ntilikina, the Knicks could ask for 22-year-old Hamidou Diallo. The athletic wing is still raw offensively, but Diallo is ready to help on defense. He's a perfect fit for the Knicks having grown up in Queens.
Philadelphia
Thunder receives: Al Horford, Shake Milton, Mike Scott, 2023 first-round pick
76ers receive: Chris Paul
Why it makes sense for the Thunder
Shake Milton and a future firstround pick isn't a bad haul. Milton had a breakout second season in Philadelphia. The former Owasso High School standout started 24 games at point guard and shot 43% from behind the arc. The Thunder is always in need of 3-point shooters.
The Thunder could push for the 2023 first-round pick to be unprotected. Who knows what the 76ers will look like three years from now? Another firstround pick would add to the 13 OKC already owns over the next seven years.
The price for Milton and a pick is Horford's contract. The 34-yearold center is owed $27.5 million next season, $27 million in 2021-22 and $26.5 million ($14.5 million guaranteed) in 2022-23. Yikes.
Adding Mike Scott, who is under contract for $5 million next year, makes the money match. Horford's contract would be hard to stomach, but the Thunder would otherwise have a clean cap sheet heading into its rebuild. Trading Paul's contract isn't possible without taking back another big contract or two.
There are several possible variations of a trade with Philadelphia.
Tobias Harris, set to make between $34 and $39 million over the next four seasons, could be included instead of Horford, but Harris is more valuable to the 76ers. Josh Richardson, owed $10.9 million and $11.6 million through 2021-22, is another trade chip for Philadelphia.
Why it makes sense for the 76ers The 76ers, a title favorite heading into the season, fell far short of expectations. To make matters worse, they were without Ben Simmons in the playoffs. The Simmons/Joel Embiid fit will forever be questioned, but what if Simmons sticks at power forward and Philadelphia adds Paul at point guard?
Paul's shooting should create more spacing in the half court, and Simmons could still push the ball in transition opportunities. Paul's no-nonsense approach might also help sort out whatever chemistry issues exist.
Trading for Paul is the ultimate win-now move for the 76ers. It improves their roster in the short-term and allows them to shed one of the worst contracts in the league.