Why Oklahoma Agrees to the Trade
Admittedly, it would likely take the right amount of convincing and protections on the first-round pick to get GM Sam Presti to bite. He’s not one known for ending up on the losing end of trades.
But to get a young emerging center on a team-friendly deal, while simultaneously acquiring a first-round pick and cap space for 2020, well there’s no doubt he’d listen.
As of now, the league is on notice. Steven Adams can be had for an offer that meets the previously stated requirements. But most teams won’t be able to put up their best offers until December, once players signed in the offseason are eligible to be traded.
Washington’s advantage is they can offer their deal now. They signed Bryant using Bird Rights so the rule does not apply. And how often does a team get offered a young asset in addition to a first-round pick as early as October?
Bryant is slowly emerging as one of the better, younger big men in the league. He posted 18.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks Per 36 last season, according to Basketball Reference.
And he’s just 22 years old, freshly signed to a three-year deal worth only twenty-five million.
Oklahoma could just trust other league executives and front offices, sure. They could wait until December comes around for a better offer.
But there’s a lesson to be learned in the Anthony Davis saga, where the New Orleans Pelicans held out until the summer thinking Boston would make Tatum available. Surprise surprise, things changed.
And if they wait even further into the following season, when Adams is now on an expiring deal, they face two potential issues. They’re risking his health, and the weight of the offer they receive.
Presti’s good at what he does, but it’s doubtful he’d be able to even sniff this kind of package if Adams were on an expiring deal. This move for Oklahoma would be smart, albeit premature and a bit cautious. The question is: How much are they willing to risk?