Sam Presti’s team-building philosophies makes Thunder trade for star unlikely

With Bradley Beal, Kemba Walker, Kristaps Porzingis and even Damian Lillard floating in the rumor mill, the Oklahoma City Thunder have started to pop up around social media and think pieces.

But it’s highly unlikely the Thunder trade for one of these players.

In mid-May, Thunder general manager Sam Presti spoke to the media for the final time of the 2020-21 season. He vocalized the mindset that likely comes into play in these types of scenarios.

“Short cuts cut long runs short, and we’re going to do everything in our power not to allow that to happen,” Presti said. “When we do get back to the postseason, we want it to be an arrival and not an appearance. An arrival meaning that we can return. We can be there. We can take some chance or bad fortune and not have it sink us completely.”

To clarify, Presti was speaking generally about his philosophy for the team during this press conference. He was not asked about specific players or situations.

While the Thunder have traded for stars before, notably Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, this 2021 team is very different.

Before we get further, it’s also important to note the differences between the four players mentioned at the top of the article.

Beal has averaged more than 30 points per game for two seasons in a row. He did this while shooting 48.5% this season despite defenders draped around him.

Yet the Washington Wizards star only has one more season on his contract before he has a player option, which he very well could decline and kickstart a new, potentially supermax contract.

If he were to join the Thunder but then find brighter horizons in free agency, OKC would have traded a treasure for one year of Beal.

“We don’t want a position where we get there but we have no way to get back,” Presti said. “That’s the focus and precision with which where we’re working.”

Lillard, another bona fide star, is much less likely to be traded. His supermax contract begins next season, giving the Blazers four years before it expires. Portland has leverage, and Lillard is loyal. It’s not worth talking about him beyond this paragraph for this article.

Walker is a different scenario. Injuries have hindered his play the last two seasons, and he is on the books for $73 million over the next two seasons — the latter of which is a player option — but he is still an All-Star-caliber guard.

The Thunder would likely be a better team short-term with him, but he would take away time from developing young players and may create instability if he gets injured again.

Unless Boston is willing to give up draft picks or young prospects to unload him, it doesn’t make sense for the Thunder to trade for Walker. He’s an example of a player who may help OKC get to the playoffs or a play-in game, but he wouldn’t help them become a long-term contender.

Porzingis, who will be 26 at the beginning of next season, is more interesting for the Thunder timeline- and position-wise, but he is owed more than $30 million each of the next three seasons. He played only 43 games this season and has only reached 50 once in the last four seasons.

“A lot of mistakes get made when you artificially try to accelerate something that needs to build momentum or growth organically,” Presti said.

Organic growth will be the key. Oklahoma City has never been a prime free-agent destination. Instead, the organization became one of the most successful in the league by drafting well and then adding on by trades when the time was right.

Getting George helped the franchise extend its period of contention. He wasn’t the piece that got them there.

That should be the philosophy once again. The time is not right to trade. Oklahoma City is not ready to compete for a title. In a couple of years, when these 20-year-olds are closer to their prime and OKC still has its collection of draft picks, they can strike when the iron is hot.

Stars will be available down the road. It’s the nature of the NBA. If they can put together a team and then acquire a star — think Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz or Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns — they’ll be in a better position than if they give up a load of assets to get back to the playoffs now. Presti’s philosophy: If you try to force success, it’s very hard to sustain it.

“If you artificially try to do that, I think now what you’re doing is you are really limiting the upside of your goals or your potential outcomes because you’re basically letting time or impatience or lack of poise kind of drive your decision-making rather than your goals,” the general manager said.