If you’re looking for more evidence that the Thunder could look to trade Chris Paul this offseason, you found it on Tuesday night.
Oklahoma City parted ways with head coach Billy Donovan on Tuesday. In the press release announcing the decision, Thunder GM Sam Presti said that the organization “couldn't provide (Donovan) the information on the future direction of the team over the next several seasons to give him the level of clarity that he understandably desires at this stage of his career.”
Donovan was in the final season of his contract.
If the Thunder were looking to make the playoffs next season and beyond, the club probably would have signed Donovan to a new deal.
The Long Island native coached the Thunder to a playoff appearance in 2019-20, surpassing most preseason expectations. Oklahoma City’s success was also fueled Paul; the 10-time All-Star averaged 17.6 points and 7.6 assists per game in the regular season.
If the Thunder are going to begin a full rebuild under a new head coach, it’s logical to assume that OKC would at least consider moving Paul in a trade this offseason. The 35-year-old is scheduled to make $85 million over the next two seasons.
Before the NBA restart in Orlando, members of the Knicks organization continued to see Paul as a good veteran addition for the club’s rebuild. The feeling was that Paul would help New York build a winning culture and influence the club’s young players.
It’s unclear if the organization still sees trading for Paul as a worthwhile pursuit. A lower salary cap in 2020-21 may make it difficult for New York to take on Paul’s salary. But for those interested in what a Paul-to-New York deal may look like, we took a look at a few different trade scenarios with cap expert Albert Nahmad in April.
And if recent history is any indication, Paul may be able to choose his destination in a trade. Presti worked with both Paul George and Russell Westbrook to orchestrate trades that landed both players with teams they wanted to play for.
So if Paul asked Presti to send him to a specific team, the George and Westbrook trades suggest that Presti would at least consider the request.
Another ‘what if’ in the wake of Tuesday’s news: what if the Knicks were still looking for a head coach? Donovan will have plenty of suitors now that he’s a coaching free agent. But it’s safe to assume that he would have considered the Knick job if it were open because of his New York roots.