With Oklahoma City sending Paul George to the L.A., Russell Westbrook may look to be traded. Here are two packages the Miami Heat could use to land him.
The 2019 NBA free agency has been a whirlwind. After everyone counted the Miami Heat out, team president Pat Riley pulled off the impossible by negotiating a sign and trade with Philadelphia, while bringing Dallas in as a third team. That deal went sour in a matter of hours though, in a fashion very reminiscent of the “Brooks-Brooks” situation last season between the Phoenix Suns and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Goran Dragic was all set to go to Dallas as their starting point guard, slotted alongside reigning Rookie of the Year Luka Dončić and Kristaps Porzingis. Suddenly there were all tons of snags and red tape coming from the Mavericks camp, and the deal was crumbling before Heat Nation’s eyes. When the dust settled, it ended up being a four-team trade that sent Hassan Whiteside to Portland, Josh Richardson to Philadelphia, Moe Harkless to the Clippers, and Jimmy Butler to Miami.
The morning of July 6th will be one of those days that every NBA fan remembers where they were and what they were doing when they found out that not only did Kawhi Leonard choose the Clippers over the Lakers and Toronto, but that he also recruited Paul George to join him. So much so, that George asked for a trade to be his running mate.
I’m not going to lie to you, once I saw the report from ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth that Zion Williamson would miss the remainder of his Summer League Debut against RJ Barrett and the Knicks, I got comfortable on the couch and eventually fell asleep. This is how you know I eat, sleep, and breath the NBA. I was awoken from my sleep by hearing Adrian Wojnarowski talking fast, and with a concern that I hadn’t yet heard before.
Before I could comprehend what he was saying, I already knew. Kawhi watch was over. I spent the next two hours on Twitter with other NBA fans, who were obviously gassed about the news as well.
With Steven Adams already rumored to be on the trading block as early as a month ago, the trading of Paul George saw another core piece on the move. That would leave 2017 regular season MVP and Mr. Triple Double, Russell Westbrook, all alone in Oklahoma City with four years/$170 million dollars left on his contract at thirty years old.
ESPN Sources: Russell Westbrook and his agent Thad Foucher are engaged with OKC GM Sam Presti on next steps for the All-Star guard, including the possibility of trade this summer. https://t.co/S69nu8Phqd
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
On the afternoon of July 6th Woj reported that Westbrook’s agent, Thad Foucher, had been in contact with Oklahoma City GM, Sam Presti “on next steps for the All-Star guard.” These steps could lead to anything according to reports, “including the possibility of a trade this summer.”
Since the Heat had already been linked to rumors surrounding trade talks for Wizards star Bradley Beal and even though Washington has been consistently stating he’s not available for trade, its safe to say that if Pat Riley were contacted by the Thunder about taking on Westbrook, they’d have to at least consider getting a deal done. At this point, it’s been floating around Miami Heat twitter that Riley may even be willing to take on an injured John Wall’s supermax contract just to get Bradley Beal on the roster.
If this is true and the Heat were already considering taking on a boatload of money from a supermax contract, why not trade for the player that’s healthy and able to be alongside Jimmy Butler right now? I have two deals that I believe are fair for both teams, where they can execute the trade without bringing any pesky third teams with their own agendas.
Ahem! I’m talking to you, Dallas.
Deal #1
Heat receive: Russell Westbrook and Andre Roberson
Thunder receive: Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow, Derrick Jones Jr., Dion Waiters, Duncan Robinson, and the Heat’s 2022 second round pick.
This trade has the most players being exchanged at seven. Goran Dragic would provide starting caliber point guard play on an expiring deal that can be flipped at the deadline for more assets, extended by OKC, or played from the bench if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Justise Winslow don’t become the full-time starters at point guard next season.
Trading a player of Westbrook’s stature would signal a reset within the franchise and it has been made very clear by the Paul George trade that the Thunder are looking for draft picks, which they have plenty of (six 1st rounders from LAC, two of them via MIA), along with young players. Derrick Jones Jr. and Duncan Robinson would check the box in the “young players” department along with Justise Winslow.
Dion Waiters has two years left on his contract, but a fully healthy version of him would definitely contribute to the wins column. He could also be flipped for more assets since his contract isn’t too bad at $12.1 million dollars for this upcoming season. With a lack of remaining picks for Miami to offer, I could also see Sam Presti asking the Heat to take back Andre Roberson in the deal.
If that’s what it takes to get the deal done, then so be it. He hasn’t played in an NBA game since January of 2018, but if he does come back from his injury healthy, he could fit right into the defensive role left by Winslow to go along with his decent 3-point shooting from the corner. I also threw in the Heat’s 2nd round pick in 2022, but I think Riley can get this deal done without surrendering that pick at all.
Deal #2
Heat receive: Russell Westbrook.
Thunder receive: Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson
I’m sure players like DJJ and the 13th overall selection Tyler Herro will be sticking points during negations, but Pat Riley would probably avoid any trade scenario in which he’s sending DJJ, Herro, and Winslow out at the same time. This holds especially true for third-year center Bam Adebayo, who’s been penciled in as the starter with Whiteside gone.
This deal offers two fewer players (4), but three of which are youngsters with high upside, especially between Winslow and Herro. Just like I don’t think Riley and the Miami Heat would part with Herro and DJJ together, I don’t think he’ll part with Waiters if Herro is included.
With the way Herro is balling out for the Miami Heat in the NBA Summer League, a team would be foolish not to believe that his skill set will transfer to the regular season NBA. Taking him in a deal would allow Oklahoma to gauge what kind of market Dennis Schröder has in future trades.
Whichever deal OKC negotiates with the Miami Heat, it’ll be one that provides young players with high upside while maintaining the ability to play out the season competitively or to flip the veterans including Steven Adams, in order that may go deeper into the tank to get even more assets. If they choose the latter, they’ll need to figure out who they wish to attack in free agency, since the class of 2020 doesn’t have anyone of note currently to offer.
Teams like the New York Knicks have signed players to two-year deals this summer for a reason. Sam Presti will most likely be looking to rebuild and retool the roster via the trade market. We haven’t seen the Thunder tank, and I don’t think they plan on starting now.