The NBA is a enterprise.
Oklahoma City Thunder common supervisor Sam Presti made {that a} level in his press convention on Thursday prior to the opening of coaching camp.
The remark took place when he was discussing the Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland commerce blended with the rumors of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being on the commerce block.
Presti, as most coaches and entrance workplace people would, danced across the direct reply of the rumors however what he mentioned spoke volumes of fact.
“The solely motive we’re speaking about it’s as a result of one other participant on one other staff acquired traded, ” Presti mentioned. “The machine — the aggregation machine — is empty now. So we need a little more content.
“That’s the price of admission. It’s not a penalty. No one’s out to try and disrupt the Thunder or create problems for the Thunder. This is the business we work in.”
Sure, Presti by no means mentioned OKC wouldn’t store Gilgeous-Alexander, and clearly he’ll have suitors from across the league, however in a way for now he closed the e book of that concept.
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He’s right, the SGA rumor mill didn’t begin until the Knicks — again — swung and missed on a blockbuster deal this time for now Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell. The obvious path once he was dealt was find the next contender for a major talent to be dealt and with the Thunder’s recent track record of selling star players, it made sense.
But Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t voiced displeasure or want to depart OKC, and the team has never voiced, openly, a want to move him to a different team for more picks.
SGA is 24-years old, he fits the mold of the current OKC roster, young and high ceiling. Presti values the youth and the talent SGA has and the role he has on the team as a young leader of the starters.
Sure, there was a way to decipher the quote and be glass half empty because Presti never stated directly SGA wasn’t going to leave, but he never said he was on the market either.
It’s a business, there’s always going to trade rumors, it’s the price to pay for having a hot young commodity on the roster — Presti knows that.
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story by The Texas Tribune Source link