I pray OKC matches. I think they do because of their unique situation having to impress Durant and letting Kanter walk provides zero benefit on the basketball court. They might actually like paying some luxury tax for this one season as then they can point to this and say "see Durant we are committed to paying for a winner" I want nothing to do with Kanter at the max though. Not sure I want him on the team for the MLE; he is a selfish ball hog who can't play defense.
Is it a fake if he says after the offer is signed that they intend to match? I think he was trying to bluff us and Neil called his bluff.
The issue is also that the signing was for 4 years with a no trade clause, so it's not just paying the tax for one year, it's also going to hamstring them in the future. Also, they have Steven Adams and Mitch McGary, both cheaper but very good up and coming Centers who can provide better defense to pair with Durant and Westbrook. If healthy, they don't need offense from the center spot.
70mil seems like a hell of a lot, but in 2 years the cap is projected to be at 108mil, about 40 more than it is now. At that point, this contract will be a bargain if Enes stays healthy and just improves a tiny bit on D. But for a cash strapped OKC, I'm not sure they are willing to overpay in the short term.
Dude u still blabbing about your hatred of Aldridge?!? I think we'd finally see the end the moment he left?
Nonetheless, this is a team with a well established history of fiscal conservatism. This wouldn't be the first time they made a decision based on finances rather than basketball. Even if you are correct about Kanter (we will just have to agree to disagree), I believe the Blazers overpaid because they were bidding against themselves. No one else, including the Thunder, would have made offered him that much. Presti exaggerated the amount of competition we were facing, and Olshey fell for it. If the Thunder actually match, I will gladly and publicly admit I was completely wrong about the situation
That covers one of your possible outcomes... ...if Kanter turns out to be awesome in three years, will you also gladly and publicly admit you were completely wrong about the situation?
I think too much is being put into KDs upcoming FA. I honestly don't think this decision will have any affect on durant or his thought process. If I had to bet money, I think he's going to leave either way. I also wouldn't match because if KD does leave, then what? You're stuck paying kanter and he will be almost untradeable. I know he's young but nobody will want to pay him 20 per, even with the new cap.
Or maybe just maybe Olshey did everything he could to get kanter. If he wanted Monroe so bad, I don't see why he wouldn't want Kanter.
As I said in another thread, I would have rather gambled on Wes. A healthy Wes is a more valuable player. He gives a significant contribution on both sides of the ball, he is an asset in the locker-room, and he plays a position where we are thin. Kanter is one dimensional, has a history of being a problem in the locker-room, and may well wind up being redundant with Leonard. (not to mention taking minutes away from Plumlee and Leonard - unless they beat him out and Kanter becomes the $17 Mil version of Kaman)
Wes doesn't fit our current model though. By the time we get competitive he'll be in his 30s, where as kanter will still be approaching his prime, like the rest of the squad.
Kanter has a usage rate of around 22 with approx 17 shots per 36 minutes. That is about where LMA was when he was 23/24. Last year LMA had a usage of around 30 with 23 shots per 36 minutes. He is nowhere near the black hole LMA IS.
Also watching Kanter highlights he is good a passing when he does not have a shot and either pops or rolls to the rim very well. He would be a great LA replacement. He has a running hook across the middle that is money and he sets better screens than LA. LA may have him on d but LA also has 6 years on him. Kanter could be a terror. We got beat up by memphis. Kanter would help in that regard.
It seems they all have. That's one reason why I haven't been concerned about Kanter's apparently horrific defense; because we've already seen something similar. Nobody thinks this team is a fished product, even if we do get Kanter. He's got time to improve.
Coming into the league LMA had a negative DBPM/BPM as well. Though, not nearly as bad as Kanter's but he was well below average.
