Fansided

How Thunder GM Sam Presti got his groove back

By Brandon Jefferson

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 27: Sam Presti of the Oklahoma City Thunder speaks to the media on June 27, 2015 at Devon Tower in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 27: Sam Presti of the Oklahoma City Thunder speaks to the media on June 27, 2015 at Devon Tower in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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In his 11 seasons as general manager of the Seattle Supersonics and Oklahoma City Thunder, Sam Presti has made a number of franchise-altering moves. The first was trading team cornerstone Ray Allen to the Boston Celtics. The second was selecting Kevin Durant second overall in the 2007 NBA Draft that very same night.

Durant was considered a can’t-miss prospect, but over the next two drafts Presti would also unearth gems in Russell Westbrook (fourth overall in 2008), Serge Ibaka (24th overall in 2008), and James Harden (third overall in 2009). Together, this core four would jumpstart the Thunder’s transition to a Western Conference powerhouse and make it to the NBA Finals in 2012 when all four players were under the age of 25.

It seemed as if Presti could sit back and relax and watch his group of youngsters dominante the NBA and become the next great dynasty. Yet, that rest and relaxation never came for Presti.

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Immediately following their loss to the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals the first fracture occurred, Harden was shipped off to the Houston Rockets because of financial pressure. Injuries to Westbrook, Ibaka and Durant railroaded any chance of making it back to the NBA Finals and in the summer of 2016, Ibaka (traded to the Orlando Magic) and Durant (signed with the Golden State Warriors) would depart from Oklahoma City too.

Presti would rebound in 2016 by getting Westbrook to agree to sign an $85 million contract extension that would keep him with the Thunder until at least 2018. The clock was ticking and it was on Presti to act fast to encourage Westbrook to commit long-term to the franchise or else face another rebuilding effort. With a roster built more towards accommodating the departed Durant, Westbrook would go on a historical MVP-run and drag the Thunder to a first-round exit in 2016-17.

Aside from Westbrook’s big money deal, Oklahoma City would see big increases to the contracts of Victor Oladipo (four-years, $84 million) and Steven Adams (four-years, $100 million) and were still on the hook for another $35 million-plus to Enes Kanter who they matched a max offer sheet for in 2015.

The magic appeared to be running out for Presti. The Harden trade, the Kanter max contract, and the Oladipo extension were the black marks on an otherwise perfect resume, with the latter two putting a functional and financial cap on the team’s ceiling.

Then came the “Summer of Sam (Presti)”.

It began when Presti stealthy emerged victorious in the race for Paul George, dumping Oladipo’s money and Domantas Sabonis to Indiana in exchange for the All-Star wing. George was pegged to fill some of the void that Durant had left behind and give Westbrook another All-Star level talent to share the floor with.

Presti had once again shown he has the chops and the gusto to pull off any move. Murmurs began to spread about the Thunder potentially being a realistic threat to the juggernaut Warriors. He also added Patrick Patterson on an extremely valuable deal, inserting more shooting, defense and versatility into the roster.

Yet, the Thunder general manager wasn’t finished. With training camps getting ready to open, the Carmelo Anthony fiasco in New York remained unresolved. Anthony did not want to be a member of the Knicks anymore, but had previously only considered waiving his no-trade clause for a move to the Houston Rockets.

As the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, the Rockets and Knicks couldn’t work out a deal to bring Anthony to join forces with ex-Thunder Harden and newly acquired Chris Paul. It looked more likely that Anthony would begin the season in New York once again. That’s when Presti came calling and Westbrook and George started recruiting. In a few days, Presti had worked out a deal that would send Kanter and Doug McDermott to the Knicks in return for Anthony.

After forming the Durant-Harden-Westbrook trio in 2009, Presti has once again put together a big three in the small market of Oklahoma City in Anthony-George-Westbrook. Thunder owner, Clay Bennett had always planned to spend big once Westbrook hit his prime and he is backing up his words. Presti’s moves have skyrocketed Oklahoma City’s salaries to a shade under $134 million and the team will likely have to pay out nearly $28 million in luxury tax if the roster stays as is.

Presti and the Thunder might have lost out on the chance of becoming a dynasty, but the shrewd GM has proven his worth once again by building a formidable threat to the Golden State Warriors in just one summer. If you aren’t convinced, just check out this road map to how Presti turned spare parts into potential Hall of Famers.

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Draft Reggie Jackson –> Trade Jackson to Detroit in three-team deal and acquire Enes Kanter from Utah –> Match max offer sheet for Kanter from Portland –> trade Kanter to New York for Anthony.

Draft Ibaka –> trade Ibaka to Orlando for Oladipo and 11th overall pick (Sabonis) –> extend Oladipo’s contract –> trade Oladipo and Sabonis to Pacers for Paul George.

I don’t think there is a team in the NBA that would take a five-some of Jackson, Kanter, Ibaka, Oladipo and Sabonis over George and Anthony. Regardless of what happens in the future, with Presti around things never look too dark for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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