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Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press
With Paul George at a private party outside Oklahoma City on Saturday night, the Thunder's wayward ship was righted.
" I'm here to stay, "he said, via Gabe Ikard of the Franchise Sports.
There will be no move to his native Los Angeles area, as was heavily speculated for the past 365 days. There's a deal-and-pay deal next summer, as it's reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth $ 137 million, by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (via ESPN.com's Royce Young).
Paul George Thing the Thunder and Russell Westbrook Over The Los Angeles Lakers and (maybe) LeBron James.
To the outside world. And to an extent, that's true. One year ago, Oklahoma City looked like a pit stop in George's NBA career. In the eyes of many, the Thunder was just borrowing George for a year before he set up shop with the Lakers.
That fate seemed even more certain after the Thunder bowed out in the first round of the playoffs to the Utah Jazz. But that was outside observation, a product of people applying their own sensibilities and buying in to groupthink. George took to the city and the organization and may have decided to stay sooner than anyone
George's commitment was a win on multiple levels. For the community, it was a clapback at those who think there's little life or civilization in OKC. For Thunder ownership, it was an enormous "told you so" to those who said they'd never spend enough. For Sam Presti, it was a hit
It was also a much-needed win for Westbrook. The Thunder star has been painted-fairly and unfairly-in a negative light. Kevin Durant Westbrook, who's been accused of preventing teammates from reaching their full potential.
Yet it was Westbrook who led the charge in the yearlong recruitment of his fellow Southern Californian, according to a source. After the season, Westbrook went paintballing with George, which he shared in an Instagram post. George and his family also attended a birthday party for Noah Westbrook, the one-year-old son of Russell and Nina Westbrook
Bleacher Report @ BleacherReport
Offseason activities. Russ and PG getting ready to go paintballing
(via @ russwest44) https://t.co/3LeydtuQoc
Narratives will continue to burn in a barrel, but Westbrook now has a fire extinguisher.
Those same narratives about the Thunder ownership will flare up as well. But this move was made by a team source, a continuation of a long-term plan laid out years ago. The blueprint all along was to save tax dollars to stave off the repeater tax the Thunder now faces and spend big when Westbrook and Durant hit their premiums. The plan moved on with George instead of
Still, it's fair to ask why George would return to a team that disappointed last season. Internally, the Thunder saw a lot of promise during a 29-game stretch from Jan. 1 to Jan. 27-day guard Andre Roberson was lost for the season with a ruptured patellar tendon. They went 21-8 with impressive home wins Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors during that stretch.
Yet the Thunder also lost to the likes of the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns in that span. What is what was possibly Oklahoma City's largest issue last season after 8-12 start: a lack of focus. A sense of unity with the world, and that cost the Thunder in the end. But it was a fixable issue
George clicked with Westbrook, the star player he never was paired with in Indiana. George knocked down 40.1 percent of his attacks and was a threat defensively with Roberson by his side. Add center Steven Adams, and the Thunder have, on paper, a trio that compares favorably with the Rockets' combo of Harden James, Chris Paul and Clint Capela.
More work is needed to flesh out the roster. Lost in the George hysteria was OKC reportedly also agreed to lock up forward Jerami Grant to a three-year deal, by Wojnarowski. Raymond Felton and Corey Brewer would be due for visits next. The Thunder are also reportedly looking for a backup center and may be able to snag a useful veteran on a minimum-salary deal.
Notably absent from all the festivities was Carmelo Anthony. As it stands, the Thunder is facing a luxury-tax bill in excess of $ 130 million thanks to stiffer repeater penalties. Kyle Singler and stretching his $ 5.0 million salary-could bring that number down. But Melo's presence and his $ 27.9 million salary is the next Rubik's Cube for Presti to solve
Anthony still holds a no-trade clause, by Basketball Insiders, which gives him a lot of power over the situation. He was not unhappy enough to walk away, yet he does not feel like a part of OKC's plans anymore. The roster is not deep enough for the Thunder to afford paying Anthony to go away. Yet reducing Anthony's salary and stretching it over millions of dollars.
It's a situation that could have been much better than that of Anthony and the Knicks last summer.
OKC still its taxpayer's mid-level exception, worth $ 5.3 million. It may be able to justify buying Anthony if it can land a high-level player in this tight free-market
The Golden State Warriors remain an indomitable presence that puts a damper on many teams' chances. The first step for David to slay Goliath is done, but many more remain.
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