5-on-5: What the large Westbrook-CP3 commerce means

What’s subsequent for the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder after agreeing to swap All-Star level guards Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul?

The Rockets are reuniting Westbrook with James Harden in a gifted backcourt that has some query marks, whereas the Thunder proceed to stockpile draft property for the long run following the Paul George deal.

How will Harden and Westbrook work? Ought to OKC maintain on to CP3? And what’s the greatest star duo within the league now?

Our NBA Insiders reply the large questions following Thursday’s blockbuster commerce and look forward for every franchise.

Extra: Newest NBA free-agency buzz

1. What’s your preliminary response to this commerce?

Bobby Marks: Any contract could be traded within the NBA — even when that participant is Chris Paul and he is owed $120 million over the subsequent three seasons.

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Andrew Han: It is Wee-Bey’s response.gif. Paul and Westbrook are family names within the famous person division, however each are on the incorrect aspect of 30. And whereas Paul is three and a half years older, Westbrook’s contract runs one season longer (ending on a $47 million participant choice in 2022-23). So the age disparity deserves two picks and two decide swaps for OKC regardless of the additional 12 months in wage? The ledger does not really feel prefer it fully balances for Daryl Morey.

André Snellings: First: “I like this sport!”

Second: The pairing of two record-setting, ball-dominant gamers initially appeared like a questionable plan for the Rockets. However the extra I give it some thought, the extra I can see the upside on this deal for each groups.

Nick Friedell: Two groups are shifting round two terrible offers. I nonetheless cannot imagine the Rockets gave Paul that max extension. Woof. The lesson right here is: By no means say any deal is totally untradable. There’s all the time a method.

Tim Bontemps: My preliminary response to the commerce was the one which accompanied the pop that went by way of the group at Cox Pavilion throughout Las Vegas Summer time League play: “Wow!”

It is unimaginable that Westbrook and Paul have been flipped for one another, significantly at this price. Houston needing to incorporate 4 draft property right here reveals how briskly issues change within the NBA. In the meantime, seven years after Oklahoma Metropolis basically selected Westbrook over Harden, the 2 of them are reunited once more in Houston in what must be a very fascinating partnership.

2. How did the Rockets do on this deal?

Marks: Established order. The Rockets entered the day within the second tier of the Western Convention behind Denver, each groups from Los Angeles, Utah and probably Portland. Houston will likely be in the identical place even after buying Westbrook. One factor you be taught from working in a entrance workplace is that you simply usually worth gamers as a result of they aren’t in your staff. On this case, Houston clearly had a robust need to shake up the roster, even when that results in the identical outcomes as final season.

Han: The fulcrum lies within the perception that Westbrook is a extra complementary star to Harden than Paul. In that case, then the Rockets might need overpaid however efficiently secured the youthful star. A query of match stays nebulous at greatest, particularly when the drumbeat of Houston all through the previous season was that it was a hamstring away from defeating a dynastic staff in Golden State. In a season the place the Hamptons 5 reign has ended, dismantling the Harden-Paul duo does not merely relaxation on the hope banner will likely be raised in Clutch Metropolis — it is a mandate.

Bontemps: It was clear that the Harden-Paul mixture had run its course, however there are questions on this Westbrook-Harden match. As one scout in Vegas mentioned, they’re arguably the 2 most ball-dominant gamers within the league — and now they’re enjoying in the identical backcourt. Westbrook additionally would not fairly appear to suit the way in which Houston performs, given he’s a profession 30.eight % Three-point shooter and has shot below 30 % in 4 of the previous 5 seasons. However Rockets basic supervisor Daryl Morey has all the time believed in getting stars and figuring the remainder out later.

Friedell: With Paul flopping all around the ground as his abilities proceed to decrease, the Rockets would have had little likelihood to win subsequent season. They’re higher with Westbrook — however I am unsure how a lot. He actually struggled together with his shot at occasions within the postseason. They’d higher win subsequent season as a result of — similar to Paul — Westbrook’s abilities are solely going to decrease from right here.

Additionally, that is loads of picks and decide swaps to maneuver a man you by no means ought to have prolonged for max cash within the first place.

Snellings: I feel the Rockets have probably hit the jackpot with this commerce. One of the best capacity in basketball is availability. Paul has missed 48 regular-season video games and a vital Sport 7 throughout his two seasons with the Rockets. They have been a championship-caliber staff when he was wholesome, however it was troublesome to depend upon Paul to be out there when wanted.

Nonetheless, this transfer solely works if Harden has totally purchased into the concept of enjoying extra off the ball. Westbrook is not an off-ball risk, however he might be glorious at operating the present and creating offense in Houston. Harden must be nigh unguardable as an off-guard who can function towards unbalanced defenses.

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Adrian Wojnarowski breaks down how the Russell Westbrook-Chris Paul commerce got here to be, and the way it will have an effect on Paul’s future.

Three. How did the Thunder do on this deal?

Bontemps: The Thunder proceed to have an awesome week. In a collection of trades, they’ve gathered eight first-round picks over the subsequent seven seasons to go together with 4 different decide swaps. Toss in the truth that the Thunder will now all however actually preserve their very own protected picks in 2020 and 2022, and one may argue OKC has netted 10 first-round picks in three transactions — a very gorgeous haul.

In surveying folks right here in Vegas, nobody expects Paul to stay in a Thunder uniform for lengthy. The preliminary thought amongst league executives was that the Miami Warmth — who additionally have been eager about Westbrook — are a logical touchdown spot.

Han: Do not commerce with Sam Presti — not less than not within the rapid future. The overseer of OKC has had a run of adroit arbitrage like few others up to now few weeks. With George and now Westbrook, the Thunder entrance workplace managed to take distressed stars, ship them to most well-liked locations and return a trove of property for his or her bother. And whereas Oklahoma Metropolis simply accepted a collection of picks for Chris Paul, would anybody be shocked if it by some means onboarded much more picks when Paul is distributed to an eventual self-styled contender?

Friedell: I like what they acquired again. That is loads of property in return for Westbrook, who was by no means going to reside as much as his deal. The Thunder took benefit of Houston’s desperation to make some type of commerce occur. There is no cause to maintain Paul in OKC — simply transfer him and get extra property and picks. Hope a star turns into out there on the commerce market down the road and bundle a bunch of these property collectively after which you will get an actual reset going.

Snellings: The Thunder did properly, and they need to have the ability to flip Paul to a different staff for extra worth. Paul’s contract, whereas large, is a 12 months shorter than Westbrook’s, and he’s nonetheless in a position to compete at a excessive stage when wholesome. He would make sense on a staff that has All-NBA expertise and sees itself as being an affect participant away. The Warmth, Timberwolves, Pistons and Magic have the property to place collectively a lovely supply for him.

Marks: The Thunder get an A-plus for 2 components: They turned the $170 million Westbrook contract into 4 draft property (two first-rounders and two swap rights) and now have Paul to maneuver in a future commerce. Sure, there may be not an awesome urge for food for the $120 million left on Paul’s contract, but when the Thunder can parlay Paul into expiring contracts (suppose Miami) and possibly a future draft asset, Oklahoma Metropolis may wipe its funds clear and begin to rebuild by way of the draft.

four. Truth or fiction: The Durant/Westbrook/Harden period in OKC was successful

Han: Truth. The OKC trio injected a stage of basketball fanaticism the place many have been not sure of the extent of sustainment within the area. And whereas the foregone conclusion Durant-Westbrook-Harden-led Thunder staff can be Finals regulars proved naive, to evaluate success and failure just by the variety of rings one can show appears equally reductive.

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Friedell: Fiction. The Thunder did not win a title. The league has all the time been a bottom-line enterprise in that regard: Did you win a ‘ship or not? That they had Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Serge Ibaka all of their primes and nonetheless could not do it. Now they’ve a boatload of picks whereas the draft stays unpredictable. That they had the celebrities that groups dream about and nonetheless could not get it carried out. Wins are good however they fade. Championships final without end. The Thunder swung large — they simply missed.

Bontemps: Truth. This one is straightforward. Would the Thunder have beloved to win a title? Positive. However there have been loads of groups through the years that got here near profitable and did not. You possibly can’t have a look at this run as something however an enormous success. Oklahoma Metropolis has been a related NBA franchise for greater than a decade. The Thunder made it to at least one Finals and three convention finals, and really simply may’ve received a number of championships had a number of breaks gone their method. In that very same interval, groups such because the Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings have not received a single playoff collection. Assume followers of these groups would change locations with Thunder followers? In a heartbeat.

Marks: Fiction. Sometime there will likely be a 30 for 30 on what may have been in Oklahoma Metropolis if it had saved the 2012 NBA Finals staff collectively. As an alternative, we’re left questioning if the tenure of OKC’s Large Three was lower prematurely.

Snellings: Truth. The Thunder constructing a staff by way of the draft that would constantly compete was an accomplishment given the place they began. Whereas a championship is the final word aim, they made a Finals look, famously got here inside a sport of knocking off the one 73-win staff in historical past and had two completely different gamers win the MVP and one other end within the prime three within the vote whereas sporting their uniform. That they had the potential to do extra, however what they did accomplish was successful.

5. What’s the greatest star duo within the NBA now?

Snellings: LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They’ve probably the most expertise, probably the most dimension and their video games ought to mesh greatest collectively. However this isn’t a sport of 2-on-2, and at this level there are fairly a number of groups that completely have the potential to beat them out for this season’s championship. I like this sport!

Marks: Flip a coin between the staff two groups in Los Angeles: LeBron James/Anthony Davis vs. Kawhi Leonard/Paul George.

Han: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. If the league continues to shift towards a wing-oriented sport, it could stand to cause that the perfect two-way wing gamers for the upcoming season would quantity to the perfect duo. Leonard simply proved he is able to main a title contender with on-the-fly chemistry, and George is coming off of a third-place MVP season regardless of shoulder woes. An argument could be made for the opposite duo in Los Angeles, however the perimeter emphasis of the league swings in favor of the Clippers.

Friedell: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. In the event that they keep wholesome, they complement the remainder of that Clippers roster so properly. The defensive capacity on that staff will likely be enjoyable to look at each night time, on prime of the truth that Leonard, George and Lou Williams all have the power to get a bucket when wanted. That staff goes to be superior.

Bontemps: LeBron James and Anthony Davis. If Paul George wasn’t coming off surgical procedure on each shoulders, he and Kawhi Leonard can be within the dialog, however that is about it. I caught loads of flack final week for saying James wasn’t among the many prime 5 gamers within the league — however I had Davis fifth and James sixth. No person else within the NBA can match having two of the six greatest gamers within the sport — significantly when James and Davis, assuming each are wholesome, must be an ideal match collectively offensively.