No…not a chance even though his max deal right now looks awful based on how he performed in this San Antonio series opposite Wemby and the Spurs.
Besides you never trade something when its value has dipped and isn’t going to garner you much in return. This is where one takes a deep breath and calms oneself and then makes the other tough decisions which need to be made to facilitate keeping Chet and Isaiah and staying under the second apron of the tax.
First thing I would do is make the call to Isaiah Hartenstein’s agent and make it clear the Thunder want him back for the third year of his existing deal.
Then it gets hard for Sam Presti because some brutally tough emotional decisions are in my mind going to have to be made in regards to four very popular veterans on the Thunder roster.
Lu Dort…you know I love you and Kenrich, but this is where Sam Presti has to bid you farewell and make it known how much you have meant to this Thunder organization and fanbase. And if both of you end up in Denver even better for Mike J. Win, win for everyone involved is the way I would see that scenario.
Isaiah Joe…we love you, but we can’t afford you as insurance policy any longer, and besides we need to find you a home where you can be an every night starter. You’ll be loved in OKC forever, kid.
Aaron Wiggins…same deal with you as with Isaiah. Our drafting you out of Maryland was one of the smartest things we did in the rebuild after the tear-down and you deserve to be where you can start and maximize your NBA career.
Now…as a far as Chet goes I’d come to a more pragmatic realization of what Chet can and can’t do with that body of his. What he can’t do is be asked to take on the biggest, most physical centers in the NBA because in essence Chet’s value comes from his skill set which in is line in playing either the three or the four out on the perimeter and giving offside help defensively.
Now…I’m certain that’s not what some of the fanbase will want to do, but if I were Sam Presti that’s how I would tackle this very slight nuanced reconstruct of the Oklahoma City Thunder roster.
But most of all…the No. 1 priority is to get JDub and Ajay Mitchell healthy so as 40 Miuntes of Hell becomes a thing again with Thunder and live ball turnovers are turrned into flurries of points which makes all this much easier on Shai’s body.
Anotherwords, get back to what won you an NBA championship and a 24-1 start this season.
Be who you are as a team, and don’t overreact to what just happened in Game 7.
Mike J