A very good week for the OKC Thunder got even better on Monday when it was reported both Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo signed four year extensions with the Thunder. Adams reportedly will sign a four year deal at $100 million while Oladipo reportedly will sign a four year deal at $84 million. Both extensions will prevent the players from becoming restricted free agents this summer which would have required the Thunder to match other teams’ offers this summer.
Simply put—this gives OKC a very promising core of Westbrook, Adams, and Oladipo. Andre Roberson will become a restricted free agent this summer. Domas Sabonis is in the first year of his rookie scale contract. Enes Kanter is in the second year of his four year deal. Cam Payne and Josh Huestis are both rookie scale players. New backup point guard Semaj Christon is a rookie scale player as well. Kyle Singler is in the second year of his four year deal which will probably look like a rookie scale contract value wise once the new CBA goes into effect in 2017.
Thus, Presti has a core of Westbrook, Adams, and Oladipo surrounded by a second tier of young players in Roberson, Kanter, Payne, Sabonis, Christon, Singler, and Huestis. Plus, their first round pick this summer.
If the Thunder feel they need to go after a max offer free agent this summer they’ll need to shed around $29 million in payroll. Which to me would mean the shedding salary starting point would begin with Enes Kanter’s $17.8 million on the books.
Of the free agents available this summer the one who would most fit the Thunder in my estimation would be Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans. He would be a seamless fit with his size and skill set I would think. Imagine a starting five of Westbrook, Davis, Adams, Oladipo, and Andre Roberson. I’m almost certain that would garner Jerry West’s attention.
So–while in a sense we’ll all be looking back somewhat to the Durant years when OKC visits the Warriors on Thursday–what Sam Presti has done since July 4th is rebuild the Thunder with a core of talented young players which makes the NBA future burn fairly bright in Oklahoma City if Russell Westbrook ultimately decides to make LA his summer home only.