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What's the rumor?
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2018/19 season with the belief that they could make a real impact in the Western Conference. However, Billy Donovan's team crashed out in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year, and the Washington Post is now reporting that Sam Presti may consider trading away Steven Adams.
In case you didn't know...
Steven Adams was selected by the Thunder with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft. Despite low expectations upon his arrival, Adams has established himself as a firm fan favorite, starting more than 400 regular season games during his six seasons with the team.
The heart of the matter
Adams continues to be a key player for the Thunder, however, many OKC fans will agree that the Kiwi has failed to kick on and become the All-Star that many expected him to develop into.
Adams has also failed to develop any sort of shot from beyond the arc, and due to the Thunder's limited cap space, Sam Presti may feel obligated to offload him this summer, according to Washington Post.
Presti could try to trade Adams, a gritty center whose offensive rebounding and interior defensive presence have made him a strong fit alongside Westbrook and George.
But there are complicating factors of all kinds. Oklahoma City relies heavily on Adams thanks to a front line that is perilously thin, and he has proved to be one of the most dependable starting centers in the league. At the same time, he didn't play particularly well against the Blazers and is owed more than US$50 million over the next two seasons.
Would Presti be selling low by parting with a traditional center with no ability to shoot the three immediately after a dud series? Would he be forced to seek a center in return in an Adams deal, a la the Memphis Grizzlies' swap of Marc Gasol for Jonas Valanciunas of the Toronto Raptors?
What's next?
The Thunder will face a busy summer as they look to bounce back from a disappointing season.
