Source
r/NYKnicks•
Likept

Melo, OKC and Knicks

Am I crazy for thinking OKC would accept Noah+Lee for Melo+Singler?

Before laughing please just read my thought process and if you still think it's insane then I'm sorry. I'm genuinely curious to know if this makes sense.

OKC payroll for 2018/2019 is already over 160M (this includes Melo's 28M) which is way way over the 101M cap.

Numbers: Russ 35, PG 34, Melo 28, Adams 24, Roberson 10, Grant 9, Abrines 5, Patterson 5, Singler 5, Ferguson 2.

Other than Melo, Abrines and Singler, every other contract is also guaranteed for 2019/2020 where they already have at least 125M committed. That means they also won't have cap space next season even without Melo on the books.

Now, OKC has 3 options, keep/waive Melo, stretch him or trade him.

Assuming option 1 isn't going to happen, let's talk about the others.

  • Stretching him would mean 9M of dead cap space for the next 3 years. Since they will be over the cap regardless every year, stretching him would only alleviate the tax-penalties and wouldn't help them improve their roster.

  • Trading him+Singler (33M) for Noah+Lee (31M).

What happens?

  • Assuming Noah can still play some minutes, they get a backup Center (they've none). His salary won't matter much for them because they're already over the cap in both years.

  • They get Courtney Lee who is a good piece to help them get better.

  • They save something like 5 to 10M in tax-penalty with the trade too this season.

  • They also get to keep their picks, which they would need to give up to unload Melo and get something good in return.

For us, it's a no-brainer. We waive Melo after the trade. This is strictly to clear cap for next season.

Am I insane? Could OKC get better offers for Melo that would still improve their team next season and allow them to keep their own picks?

Posted Jul 1, 2018, 4:52 PM UTC · edited

336
daspeep•

Duuude I don’t want melo on this team next year. Next year is about Frank and Knox and just not melo

21
LikeptOP•

We waive Melo after the trade. This is strictly to clear cap for next season.

17
GoingtotheLeague•

Why'd they downvote you? It's a hypothetical.

4
LikeptOP•

What I really wanted to know is if OKC would do it, but everyone focuses on the Melo part when we wouldn't even keep him :/

2
GoingtotheLeague•

I like the deal man. I think they would do it. Lee is a perfect fit for their team.

They're already so far over the cap for so long that Lee and Noah's length don't really matter to them. They're gonna pay the luxury tax money regardless.

My only worry is that there's probably a better offer out there as a 28 million expiring has decent value.

5
daspeep•

If we waive melo right after I’m all for it I suppose

1
mylanguage•

I'm doing this and cutting melo ASAP.

5
mylanguage•

You're right - this is a complete no-brainer and I can't imagine Melo wouldn't like being able to sign for whatever team he wants.

2
Wheelsofsteel24•

It’s a good idea, but people hear ‘bring back Melo’ and automatically stop listening. Cut a third team into the deal and send Melo there. Let them be the ones to waive him while we waive someone else.

2
a_prk•

Give up, I proposed this a long time ago and it was the same shit, 90% of the people didn't even read and say "b-but Melo toxic is gonna take Frankzie's shots!!!"

I had Kanter and Lee for Melo and Ferguson tho, then we buyout Melo. I think it's more likely than them taking Noah.

2
HokageEzio•

OKC isn't trading two expirings for two guys with 2 years left. Especially when one is immovable. Great for us, massively stupid for the Thunder.

1
LikeptOP•

They can't get anyone next year, even without those 2 expirings because they're already at least 15M over the cap for next season.

This deal at least gives them Lee that would improve their team and help them contend.

2
TreSeven•

I think you should’ve led off with “WE WOULD WAIVE MELO AFTER THE TRADE” lmao

I think I like it but I feel like they could get a better player than Lee from another team without taking Noah, especially if they’d be willing to throw in Terrance Ferguson

1
LikeptOP•

Maybe, lol.

Thanks for the opinion, that's what I was asking!

2
gaga_booboo•

Melo still has a NTC yeah?

1
LikeptOP•

Yes, but since in the end he gets waived there's no reason for him to say no.

2
CopenhagenCalling•

I don’t think Melo will agree to getting waived by us. He has too much invested in New York and he is too prideful to do that. This is a guy who didn’t want to come off the bench even though it would help his team. Melo is living in a fantasy world where he is still a superstar. It’s kinda sad. People would probably like him more and stop criticizing him if he would agree to come off the bench...

1
LikeptOP•

will agree to getting waived by us.

He doesn't have a say in that. He can only block the trade, he can't block being waived.

He kinda doesn't have a choice, either he accepts a trade somewhere and most likely gets bought out or OKC stretches him/waives him because they don't want him back for next season unless he accepts a bench role.

1
CopenhagenCalling•

He can block getting traded to us to avoid getting waived by us. He definitely had a choice. Big difference getting stretched by OKC or waived by another team, than getting waived by us.

I think you underestimate how important it would be for Melo to not getting waived by us. We all know Melo and there is just no way he would do that voluntarily.

1
RamessesTheOK•

I'd say its much more likely that the Thunder salary dump melo to the Hawks or the Magic with their first round pick (or maybe two firsts) by promising him that if he waives his NTC and lets the Magic buy him out, they'll resign him back at the vet min. This lowers their luxury tax significantly whilst Melo gets $3 million extra out of it (his original salary and the new vet min he signs).

Then, we propose this trade. One of OKC's biggest problems last year was the lack of shooters outside of the Big 2.5. This gives them a 40% three balling 3-and-D player whilst we get to dump Lee to open up cap space for next eyear (we could dump Singler for a second if we really wanted to open up the maximum possible space) and we get back a promising young player for our troubles.

0
LikeptOP•

they'll resign him back at the vet min

They can't do that I think. After trading a player, that player can't come back to the team that traded him for 6 months or 1 year, can't remember which one.

I also don't think they give up Ferguson for Lee or picks to dump Melo.

2
RamessesTheOK•

I also don't think they give up Ferguson for Lee or picks to dump Melo.

If it saves them $60 million in luxury tax, they will.

1
ILoveKP6andFN11•

Noah for Melo is better

0
Wellitjustgotreal•

Makes zero sense for OKC.

1
sijux•

Isn't Noah's contract up after this season any way?

-1
mylanguage•

nope 2 more years.

3
alextv99•

Bringing melo back would ruin everything this new regime stands for. So no. We won't do that. And we don't want that.

-2
LikeptOP•

We waive Melo after the trade. This is strictly to clear cap for next season.

3
lemonwhale13•

No Knicks fan in their right mind should want Melo back lol why is this even being brought up

-3
LikeptOP•

We waive Melo after the trade. This is strictly to clear cap for next season.

3
soulbrotha1•

Lol you said this like 40x. Like your thinking tho. Doubt okc does this

4
LikeptOP•

People don't read and keep saying they don't want Melo when I don't want him either :/

5
lemonwhale13•

My bad dude I just read the first few lines and you lost me with Melo lol

2
rmccarthy10•

Its not about payroll with Melo. We are in 100% development phase.. All youth. All development. No vets taking shots. No "locker room presence". None of that shit. Youth development. Ground up.

-4
LikeptOP•

We waive Melo after the trade. This is strictly to clear cap for next season and to unload 1 of our many SG.

6