OKC shuts down Horford for the year

[exstatic]

Not in their plans, $54M on the books the next two years.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1375937862324129792?s=21

[Dejounte]

Is this worse than the Blake Griffin buyout or equal?

[exstatic]

Is this worse than the Blake Griffin buyout or equal?

They won’t buy him out. They will probably put him on the trade market in the offseason. They received assets from PHI last year to take him, and by signaling that he’s not in their plans, they’ll have to send something to someone to accept the contract. It’s not like they don’t have picks to burn to keep from eating his contract.

[gambit1990]

Not in their plans, $54M on the books the next two years.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1375937862324129792?s=21
only $40M is guaranteed.

[Dejounte]

So what kind of teams would trade for Horford?

It won't be contenders. That contract is too large, and they don't have any more assets.

Teams with cap space?

Teams trying to get into the playoffs?

OKC traded for Al Horford to get Philly's 2025 first round pick.

Will they be willing to trade Miami's pick along with Horford to get rid of him? Do they view that pick as more valuable than the 2025 FRP? Of course, you never want to give up more than you gave.

[PhantomDashCam]

OKC really have become the new Hinkie-esque Sixers.

I know Al is making a bundle but I feel sorry for him. Has been playing solid ball all year and now with Shai’s injury status, they are going full tank.

[gambit1990]

horford is okay with the arrangement. makes money, won't get hurt. OKC will do right by him this summer.

[exstatic]

only $40M is guaranteed.

That still almost guarantees no buyout by a small market team.

[The Truth #6]

Curious. Are they preserving their trade asset? Going full tank, as if they need more draft picks? I don’t see any superstars being willing to go there again, so it will be interesting to see how they move forward. At some point they have to build around someone.

[gambit1990]

That still almost guarantees no buyout by a small market team.
oh, for sure. just saying.

100% a trade.

[DC23]

I think Horford ends up back with the Celtics, though Lakers, Suns, and Heat are all interesting as well.

[venitian navigator]

Frankly, this move makes difficult to understand why they didn't trade him for LMA and then buy out LMA...probably our asking price was too much? because actually now they have to pay his contract till the end of this season with no chance of sparing a cent, while next season it won't be that easy to find a trade for someone that's very difficult ro consider a trade asset. For sure won't be possible for them (at least for the actual situation) trade him for cap space...that's exactly what they would have had next season if they agreed to trade him for LMA...

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Frankly, this move makes difficult to understand why they didn't trade him for LMA and then buy out LMA...probably our asking price was too much? because actually now they have to pay his contract till the end of this season with no chance of sparing a cent, while next season it won't be that easy to find a trade for someone that's very difficult ro consider a trade asset. For sure won't be possible for them (at least for the actual situation) trade him for cap space...that's exactly what they would have had next season if they agreed to trade him for LMA...

It’s quite easy to understand why - Spurs don’t want that contract. Maybe in the summer if all of their plans fail.

[exstatic]

Frankly, this move makes difficult to understand why they didn't trade him for LMA and then buy out LMA...probably our asking price was too much? because actually now they have to pay his contract till the end of this season with no chance of sparing a cent, while next season it won't be that easy to find a trade for someone that's very difficult ro consider a trade asset. For sure won't be possible for them (at least for the actual situation) trade him for cap space...that's exactly what they would have had next season if they agreed to trade him for LMA...

I don’t think OKC has wrapped their heads around the fact that they WILL have to pay to offload that deal. They got paid a likely late first (PHI 2025) and Maledon, so I think it will cost them at least a first to offload him. God knows they have a shitload of them.

[mo7888]

Al Horford quote said “When I arrived, I understood the direction of the team, we had a great individual plan in place for me, and I feel like as a result I’ve played really good basketball for the Thunder,” Horford said in a statement. “At the same time, I know what it’s like to be a young, aspiring player, and at this point in the season I understand how important playing meaningful minutes is for their careers and their development.”



– via Joe Mussatto @ USA Today Sports

I wish Pop held this same view....

[exstatic]

Al Horford quote said “When I arrived, I understood the direction of the team, we had a great individual plan in place for me, and I feel like as a result I’ve played really good basketball for the Thunder,” Horford said in a statement. “At the same time, I know what it’s like to be a young, aspiring player, and at this point in the season I understand how important playing meaningful minutes is for their careers and their development.”



– via Joe Mussatto @ USA Today Sports

I wish Pop held this same view....

Dejounte started his second year. White started his second year. Keldon IS starting in his second year. It’s a myth that Pop doesn’t play young players. He not only plays them, he starts them.

[mo7888]

Dejounte started his second year. White started his second year. Keldon IS starting in his second year. It’s a myth that Pop doesn’t play young players. He not only plays them, he starts them.

It's a myth that he's giving Luka meaningful minutes..

[Dejounte]

Al Horford quote said “When I arrived, I understood the direction of the team, we had a great individual plan in place for me, and I feel like as a result I’ve played really good basketball for the Thunder,” Horford said in a statement. “At the same time, I know what it’s like to be a young, aspiring player, and at this point in the season I understand how important playing meaningful minutes is for their careers and their development.”



– via Joe Mussatto @ USA Today Sports

I wish Pop held this same view....

Horford's coach kept him as a starter until about a week ago. If Horford didn't say anything, he would still be starting by now. So it shouldn't be discredit to Pop (on this matter) when it wasn't a coach who made this decision, the player did. Now, if only Rudy Gay would come out and say the same thing...

[mo7888]

Horford's coach kept him as a starter until about a week ago. If Horford didn't say anything, he would still be starting by now. So it shouldn't be discredit to Pop (on this matter) when it wasn't a coach who made this decision, the player did. Now, if only Rudy Gay would come out and say the same thing...

I see your point but, the quote sounds to me like they had a plan before the season started that they were going to do this at a certain point. I can understand why we wouldn't have had that plan I place before the season because we had higher expectations than okc but we should be flexible enough to adjust as our prospects adjusted. I'm not saying he should send the vets home per se, but I'm saying he should have a plan in place to get Luka meaningful minutes at the 4.

[exstatic]

It's a myth that he's giving Luka meaningful minutes..

Luka was always a two year project, versus the usual one year in Austin paradigm. He’s looked much better this year, but he still has games like last night, where he just floats around like a jellyfish on the current. One turnover and one rebound in 10 minutes.

[Dex]

Al Horford quote said “When I arrived, I understood the direction of the team, we had a great individual plan in place for me, and I feel like as a result I’ve played really good basketball for the Thunder,” Horford said in a statement. “At the same time, I know what it’s like to be a young, aspiring player, and at this point in the season I understand how important playing meaningful minutes is for their careers and their development.”



– via Joe Mussatto @ USA Today Sports

I wish Pop held this same view....

More like I wish guys like Gay and Aldridge shared this point of view.

DeRozan to a lesser extent, but the team actually plays well around him when he doesn't have tunnel vision.

Pop's actually gotten better with playing his young guys in recent years...although it helps that half the team is like 25.

[mo7888]

Luka was always a two year project, versus the usual one year in Austin paradigm. He’s looked much better this year, but he still has games like last night, where he just floats around like a jellyfish on the current. One turnover and one rebound in 10 minutes.

I'd posit that it's a chicken or the egg scenario.... he floats like a jellyfish because he doesn't get consistent meaningful minutes...not that he doesn't get the minutes because he's floats around..