Trade Grades
Click here for link to Orlando Magic Trade Grades
Thunder get: SG Victor Oladipo, SF/PF Ersan Ilyasova, #11 overall pick (PF Domantas Sabonis)
Magic get: PF/C Serge Ibaka
This trade is just so excellent for Oklahoma City on so many levels. Now don’t get me wrong: Serge Ibaka is a fantastic player, one who has transformed his game to become a better three-point shooter in order to play alongside superstars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant as the third banana, all while remaining an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker. But even putting the specific players involved here aside for a second, OKC won out on the financials of this one. Ibaka is on an expiring deal worth $12.25 million, meaning he’d be a free agent next year. Assuming the team keeps Durant around this summer and Westbrook the next, that means there will be two max contracts on the Thunder’s payroll -- all before factoring in C Enes Kanter’s huge extension last summer and the rest of the team. Even with the rising salary cap, keeping Ibaka around -- especially since he would be getting close to max offers elsewhere -- beyond next season just wasn’t practical. Thus rather than losing him for nothing, the team had to sell him off now for something, and boy did they get a whole lot of “something” in this trade.
Oladipo finally gives the Thunder a legitimate third scoring option next to Westbrook and Durant -- something they haven’t had arguably since James Harden was in town. ‘Dipo put up 16 points on a solid 43.8 percent shooting from the field and 34.8% from downtown, in addition to 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Oladipo is also extremely quick and explosive when driving to the rim, and his high motor and lockdown perimeter defending will also be very key skills that will fit in perfectly alongside Westbrook and Durant.
Ilyasova is also a fine add for OKC. He averaged 10.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season, but the most important skill he will bring to the team is his three-point shooting ability -- in which the forward knocked down 37.1% of his long balls last year, connecting on 1.3 per game. His presence on the court will make it that much more difficult for defenders to give extra attention to Westbrook and Durant, knowing that if they leave Illy alone, he’ll make ‘em pay from downtown.
Sabonis is a very intriguing specimen with upside. Only 19 years old, the Lithuanian already has a very polished post game with a variety of moves, and nobody questions his motor and ability to go up there and rebound at a high rate. Both of these skills, in addition to Sabonis’ ever-expanding range, will be fully utilized by Coach Billy Donovan this coming season. However, to be fair, Sabonis lacks length and is not such a great defender at the moment.
Thus replacing Ibaka’s huge interior defending presence was not done at all in this trade, and should be the top priority this summer, other than of course re-signing Kevin Durant. But it should also be noted that Oladipo will be paid just $6 million next season, Ilyasova $8 million (after which his contract expires), and Sabonis will be on one of those always-cheap rookie contracts. Oladipo also fills a need at shooting guard, while Sabonis and Ilyasova will give OKC’s forward rotation a necessary fortification behind Durant. Excellent value overall, and this team just got a little scarier. If this doesn’t convince KD to stay, I don’t know what will.
Grade: A
Click here for link to Orlando Magic Trade Grades
Thunder get: SG Victor Oladipo, SF/PF Ersan Ilyasova, #11 overall pick (PF Domantas Sabonis)
Magic get: PF/C Serge Ibaka
This trade is just so excellent for Oklahoma City on so many levels. Now don’t get me wrong: Serge Ibaka is a fantastic player, one who has transformed his game to become a better three-point shooter in order to play alongside superstars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant as the third banana, all while remaining an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker. But even putting the specific players involved here aside for a second, OKC won out on the financials of this one. Ibaka is on an expiring deal worth $12.25 million, meaning he’d be a free agent next year. Assuming the team keeps Durant around this summer and Westbrook the next, that means there will be two max contracts on the Thunder’s payroll -- all before factoring in C Enes Kanter’s huge extension last summer and the rest of the team. Even with the rising salary cap, keeping Ibaka around -- especially since he would be getting close to max offers elsewhere -- beyond next season just wasn’t practical. Thus rather than losing him for nothing, the team had to sell him off now for something, and boy did they get a whole lot of “something” in this trade.
Oladipo finally gives the Thunder a legitimate third scoring option next to Westbrook and Durant -- something they haven’t had arguably since James Harden was in town. ‘Dipo put up 16 points on a solid 43.8 percent shooting from the field and 34.8% from downtown, in addition to 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Oladipo is also extremely quick and explosive when driving to the rim, and his high motor and lockdown perimeter defending will also be very key skills that will fit in perfectly alongside Westbrook and Durant.
Ilyasova is also a fine add for OKC. He averaged 10.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season, but the most important skill he will bring to the team is his three-point shooting ability -- in which the forward knocked down 37.1% of his long balls last year, connecting on 1.3 per game. His presence on the court will make it that much more difficult for defenders to give extra attention to Westbrook and Durant, knowing that if they leave Illy alone, he’ll make ‘em pay from downtown.
Sabonis is a very intriguing specimen with upside. Only 19 years old, the Lithuanian already has a very polished post game with a variety of moves, and nobody questions his motor and ability to go up there and rebound at a high rate. Both of these skills, in addition to Sabonis’ ever-expanding range, will be fully utilized by Coach Billy Donovan this coming season. However, to be fair, Sabonis lacks length and is not such a great defender at the moment.
Thus replacing Ibaka’s huge interior defending presence was not done at all in this trade, and should be the top priority this summer, other than of course re-signing Kevin Durant. But it should also be noted that Oladipo will be paid just $6 million next season, Ilyasova $8 million (after which his contract expires), and Sabonis will be on one of those always-cheap rookie contracts. Oladipo also fills a need at shooting guard, while Sabonis and Ilyasova will give OKC’s forward rotation a necessary fortification behind Durant. Excellent value overall, and this team just got a little scarier. If this doesn’t convince KD to stay, I don’t know what will.
Grade: A
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