NBA Mock Offseason: LA Clippers win Finals and Bradley Beal is traded

NBA Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
NBA Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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NBA
NBA Oklahoma City Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Oklahoma City Thunder

Roster 

Head coach: Billy Donovon 

2019-20 NBA season results:

  • Lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks

Who they re-signed:

  • N/A

Who they signed in FA:

  • Meyers Leonard signed to a one-year, full mid-level exception contract

Trades they made:

  • 51st overall draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for cash
  • Danilo Gallinari (sign and trade) for Eric Gordon, Isaiah Hartenstein, and 2022 Houston Rockets first-round draft pick
  • Chris Paul for Reggie Bullock, Julius Randle, and Dennis Smith Jr.

Who they drafted:

  • Drafted Josh Green

Other moves:

Summary: After a surprisingly successful 2019-20 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder opts to go with their younger guys and let go of Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari. For Gallinari, they add a future first-round draft pick and a young big in Hartenstein plus Eric Gordon who could return some additional value towards the trade deadline.

Chris Paul is dealt mostly for cap relief, but they could hope to develop Julius Randle as a backup and playing next to Steven Adams at times. Dennis Smith Jr. has shown potential, but it didn’t seem the Knicks culture was where he would reach it and Reggie Bullock is a decent 3-and-D wing to fill out of their lineup. Signing Meyers Leonard adds to their options in the frontcourt.

This is mostly an unfinished process as Dennis Schroder, Eric Gordon, Steven Adams, and others could find their way to the trade market around the 2021 trade deadline, but they should have a good mix of shooting, defense, and playmaking to start the season off well and assessing what they have before making any decisions on how to proceed.