Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti is still optimistic that defensive-minded wing Andre Roberson will stay with the team, though he had to admit that it would be hard retaining his service if another team puts a lucrative Offer Sheet on the table.
During the Thunder’s exit interview, Presti stressed his willingness to come up with a new deal for Roberson, who has a mutual interest to return to the Thunder this off-season. The Thunder GM said Roberson had a great year (6.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game) and he’s going to find a common ground with his incoming free-agent.
Roberson’s Future
“Every indication we've had from Dre and from his people, his agent, is that he loves playing here. And I've always said this to everybody before: When the player shows an interest in being here, it really exponentially helps your opportunity to get a contract done, if you would like to,” Presti said in the exit press conference via the Oklahoman.
Despite not boasting eye-popping numbers, Roberson is considered among the elite perimeter defenders available in this year’s free-agency market. Teams looking for a reliable wing defender -- which is pretty rare in today’s NBA -- are expected to line up for his service. Many NBA insiders believe Roberson could command a contract that pays him $8MM to $10MM per year.
Despite the mutual interest between both parties, Presti gave an indication that he’s not going to match offer sheets for Roberson, with the Thunder’s payroll for next season ($110MM guaranteed salaries) already capped.
If this happens, Presti will likely fill the void with a cheap veteran defender such as former Thunder stopper Thabo Sefolosha.
Russell Westbrook’s super-max
With Westbrook officially named into the All-NBA first team last Thursday, he’s now eligible for a super-sized designated veteran player’s extension. Bobby Marks of the Vertical of Yahoo Sports provided the actual amount of money Westbrook will pocket if he decides to extend his tenure in Oklahoma for basically the remainder of his career.
“Because Westbrook renegotiated before the new CBA and met the DPVE criteria (All-NBA honors), the league deemed him eligible this summer to sign a five-year extension worth 35 percent of the salary cap starting in 2018-19. The total value of the extension would be $207 million, $54 million more than if Westbrook signed with another team as a free agent,” Marks noted.
Of course, the hundred million dollar question remains the same. Will Westbrook spend the next five years chasing after his first championship in Oklahoma? Or will he be tempted to snub that amount money and join a potential super-team in Los Angeles?
