Magic front-office officials – including general manager Rob Hennigan, assistant general managers Scott Perry and Matt Lloyd and CEO Alex Martins – clapped and high-fived once their team and the Thunder cemented the deal in principle.
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“We feel like we have a roster that is really well-balanced now, and it was important for us to balance it in a way that addressed a very glaring need and a very important need in today’s NBA”, Hennigan said.
Oladipo had two of his best games last season against the Thunder he posted 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists on October 30 and had a 37-point outing on February 3.
He gives the Magic an inside presence they didn’t have previous year and piece needed in new coach Frank Vogel’s system.
“And when you add the fact that he fits into the direction the league is going offensively with his ability to space the floor … he really fits into the direction we want to go”.
He was set to be paid more than $12 million next year by OKC. His career stats are 11.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. If the 76ers can ship one of their big men – Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel – for help elsewhere and finally get a healthy Joel Embiid, the turnaround could be rather swift.
Ibaka is one of the best shot blockers in the league.
Sabonis is an intriguing big-man prospect, but the Thunder have time to bring him along slowly with the amount of frontcourt depth they have.
Reserve Enes Kanter figures to step into a slightly larger role, with Ilyasova, Waiters and Cameron Payne rounding out the primary rotation. “This was not an easy decision by any stretch of the imagination”.
Also, the move seems to open up a logjam the Magic had on the wing where restricted free agent Evan Fournier and rookie Mario Hezonja are vying for time. Oladipo has one more year on his cheap rookie contract, and Ilyasova’s final year is partially guaranteed. He may as well have been talking about free agency, and how Oklahoma City will or will not keep Durant in blue and orange for at least one more season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have shaken up their core … again. In addition to being able to get to the rim (where he often has trouble finishing), he is a tenacious perimeter defender.
The 30-year-old Belinelli shot a career-worst 30.6 percent from 3-point range last season and struggled defensively.
The Sacramento Kings traded the rights to freshman forward Marquese Chriss of Washington, the No. 8 pick, to the Phoenix Suns for the rights to center Georgios Papagiannis of Greece, the No. 13 pick, the rights to freshman Skal Labissiere of Kentucky, the No. 28 pick, a 2020 second-round draft pick and the rights to guard Bogdan Bogdanovic.
While staying consistent could have led Oklahoma City to put together another campaign flirting with 60 wins and another Western Conference Finals appearance, Presti opted to make a dare-to-be-great move that may have a short-term hit to the team’s chemistry – but ultimately put the franchise on a better trajectory to compete for a championship.
Domantas Sabonis left Gonzaga following his sophomore season. He posted impressive rebounding numbers and played efficiently on offense, but there are questions about his athleticism.
Ibaka averaged 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game last season.
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The Magic also held two second-round picks, 41st and 47th overall. It wasn’t regarded as a particularly deep draft, after the first two picks, so many names weren’t well known to the public at large, especially in the United States.
