If hoarders knew how to stop they wouldn’t be hoarders 🤣

and Lu Dort been regressing a lot too. Best they’ll get is second rounds or aging players in return.

Presti hoarding like he’s a Pokemon scalper.

My guess is assets to package and trade to move up in the draft. 12 and 17 are just outside of where the players are that really fill a need for OKC.

That’s what my wife says to me when I started hoarding stuff like my dad used to.

He makes perfect sense with Luka as far as play style. He’s always hurt though - say what you want about Ayton, at least he’s relatively durable.

As a Celtics fan I’d hate it almost as much as the Lakers signing Smart though 🤮

They’re starting to feel the salary pressures….can’t take on established players. Let OKC extend him and get stuck with him.

How can they even roster all of their picks now lol

That already happened in 2022’s draft 

The leverage is in the fact if you want him over another team I guess??

If multiple teams want him, then you still get the best choice from that.

Example I always think back to is the Warriors were able to easily dump Bogut in 2016 so they could clear enough cap space for KD when everyone knew that was the only way they could do it. Thanks Dallas.

Well they know Lakers are desperate. There will be many teams who want him, OKC does not need to trade him to the Lakers. They likely can get the most for him from the Lakers

I remember when people said this about the Warriors when they signed KD.

“Quick, everyone just refuse to trade for Harrison Barnes and then the Warriors will be screwed since they need him off the books!”

Nearly any other organisation I’d agree with you but when was the last time Presti got fleeced?

The Lakers will trade a pick swap. The Thunder are one of the teams that value those

That’s a non-factor in his trade value. He’s on a team option right now

Because one team might think, yeah he will be a good fit here…

His value is determined more by how many teams want him and less that OkC needs to get rid of him. If Cavs, lakers, wizards and whoever drafts Acuff all want an elite wing defender to make up for their guards defensive liability, then you get a bidding war.

There is one problem with this thought process. While it is sound in theory, the problem is than when it comes down to what to do, teams does what they can to imrove they team. So you might add a asset to make sure to get the deal done.

And OKC have several ways to shed salary, it is not a need to move Dort at all costs 

…..it is tho. It’s the solution for the issues that salary cap problems bring.

You’re going to lose players, you can’t trade em in. Drafting them is the way to stay deep.

Imagine Lu Dort with OKC whistle though…

How am I supposed to like Luka and hate Dort at the same time?! I might explode, and not in a good way

Dang but I still feel like they need a big man over getting another guard

Extremely underrated and I guarantee there’s a lot of eyes on him right now. Elite 3&d player who just had an off year? Mind you, Dort guards the best player on the other team every night for damn near every possession (dorture chamber exists for a reason). How many teams would love to get one of those right now?

Dort’s shot 38.4% from 3 over the past 3 seasons on respectable volume.

He’s not the best option in the world, but he’s a pretty logical fit alongside Luka, who will get him as many easy looks as you can get.

Their best POA defender was Smart and he’s nowhere near as good as he was in Boston, and they have zero other point of attack defenders in a West where SA/OKC have multiple guards that will attack every night. You’re not winning without upgrading defensively

LA’s shooting was more than fine last year, they need a center and an actual POA defender. Dort’s not elite but he plugs some of their holes and there isn’t a lot of free agents in their price range to begin with

If you’re hearing about the Lakers inquiring, it’s not a serious inquiry.

Reaves is gone one way or another.

Is there enough ball to go around for more shooters?

Finding it pretty fucking easy to imagine Dort getting away with shit while his superstar guard is playing the refs

I wish the worst to any team that has Lu Dort, I don’t think the Lakers will enjoy the Dort experience either after he misses the most open shots created by Luka

Yeah the assets are picks and cap relief. OKC probably doesn’t want players back in this case they have too many players and too big a payroll.

Put some respek on Bronny’s name

You’d finally have someone who can defend though 

Rob “Optionality” Pelinka

His defensive impact would be significant for us. Would become our clear best defended and allow Smart to move to a bench role, which is ideal for him at this stage in his career. I also think his shooting will return and he’ll be at worst playable for us offensively.

For months a lot of OKC fans have been saying we should let him go (in favour of IHart), and that he probably fits best on the lakers

There’s a good chance his salary will be higher and multi-year on the open market. Negotiate with other teams, and you may not have him at all.

I mean I don’t know if Dort is the answer but at some point you have to actually attempt to build a real title team around your franchise player. Luka isn’t getting any younger

The only problem is they’re extremely limited in terms of assets

They wouldn’t have to send out any players 

Respect. 

Lu Do even

how much do you think Lu Dort is worth.

He’s woth less than a 1st.

so either a swap or multiple 2nd round picks.

OKC aren’t getting much it would be more about getting off his contract which would be big for their salary cap. Shot terribly during the regular season and was ass in the playoffs. They’ll be lucky to get a pick for him and I think they might as well just not pick up his option

Presti will walk out of negotiations with Pelinka with an unprotected 2030 swap

pick swaps make sense as a center piece for a deal. Doesn’t make sense for OKC to send him to the Lakers though

trade LeBron haha

Lakers are the bball equivalent of Drake texting “U up” to all his friends’ GFs in their DMs