[JonOatsParticipant]

He has drafted reasonably well, but the trades and other personnel moves made in the last 6 years have been awful. Here’s a list of some of the worst. All back to back it is pretty damning. I’m putting the players PER up just for comparison even though I realize it doesn’t show the whole picture of someone’s game.

2011- Jeff Green and Krstic to Boston for Perkins and Nate Robinson

Robinson (PER 17.4) was cut less than a season later then went on have a nice season for the Bulls and Perk (8.2) has been a disappointment to say the least. Green (15) meanwhile has recovered from his heart condition and had a great comeback year and has a nice future.

2011-Byron Mullens to Charlotte for a second round pick

The pick turned into Alex Abrines. Supposedly going to be stashed so no value for another year anyway. I’d take Mullens (12.3) with his faults over that.

2010- Eric Bledsoe to Clippers for their first round pick in 2012

This pick was sent to the Celtics as further compensation for the Kendrick Perkins trade. The Celtics took Fab Melo, but Tony Wroten, Festus Ezeli, and Draymond Green were all available too. Basically the Thunder traded Bledsoe for nothing.

2010- Quincy Pondexter (11) and Craig Brackins to New Orleans for Mo Peterson and Cole Aldrich

2009-1st round pick to Chicago for Thabo Sefolosha (12.8)

The pick turned into Taj Gibson (14.5). With the backcourt the Thunder have had Taj would have been much more valuable especially in the playoffs.

Oh and trading away a top ten player for a year of Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, and Steven Adams. I know I am forgetting some so please share.

[drk3351Participant]

“He has drafted reasonably well” thats an understatement.
Durant, Westbrook, Harden , and Ibaka in 3 years? That’s incredible.

[drk3351Participant]

“He has drafted reasonably well” thats an understatement.
Durant, Westbrook, Harden , and Ibaka in 3 years? That’s incredible.

[lakanoParticipant]

Hindsight is 20-20

[lakanoParticipant]

Hindsight is 20-20

[frogmanParticipant]

This is dumb. There was no room for Jeff Green on that squad so he had to get traded.
Sefolosha for the 26th pick is a good trade every year.
Mullens would not have played for the Thunder so they got cap relief.
etc etc.

He could’ve done better with the Harden trade though.

[frogmanParticipant]

This is dumb. There was no room for Jeff Green on that squad so he had to get traded.
Sefolosha for the 26th pick is a good trade every year.
Mullens would not have played for the Thunder so they got cap relief.
etc etc.

He could’ve done better with the Harden trade though.

[hbomb3300Participant]

1. Almost everyone felt the Thunder won the Green-Perkins trade at the time. The Thunder always had to play Green at PF where he is a terrible defender and he wanted way too much money to extend his contract. The key to the West was getting through the Lakers and the Thunder had serious issues with Bynum. Instead of losing Green for nothing Presti traded him for the best post defender in the league. Perkins hasn’t returned to his orignal form pre-ACL tear but that was a risk he was willing to take. I wouldn’t call getting to the NBA Finals a total failure either… I doubt that would of happened with Green.

2. Byron Mullens isn’t going to start for the Bobcats this year… the BOBCATS. He is inefficient and puts up a lot of 3s while playing bad defense.

3. Agreed, bad trade.

4. No one really won that deal, but Presti took a shot at a possible solution at center.

5. Thabo has been an excellent role player… no problems with that trade.

6. Harden wanted max money and a staring role that he knew the Thunder couldn’t provide, basically sealing his fate. Presti didn’t want to lose Harden for nothing so he pulled the trigger on the best possible trade at the time. Better trade options were attempted by Presti but other teams didn’t value Harden that highly. He made the best of a bad situation.

[hbomb3300Participant]

1. Almost everyone felt the Thunder won the Green-Perkins trade at the time. The Thunder always had to play Green at PF where he is a terrible defender and he wanted way too much money to extend his contract. The key to the West was getting through the Lakers and the Thunder had serious issues with Bynum. Instead of losing Green for nothing Presti traded him for the best post defender in the league. Perkins hasn’t returned to his orignal form pre-ACL tear but that was a risk he was willing to take. I wouldn’t call getting to the NBA Finals a total failure either… I doubt that would of happened with Green.

2. Byron Mullens isn’t going to start for the Bobcats this year… the BOBCATS. He is inefficient and puts up a lot of 3s while playing bad defense.

3. Agreed, bad trade.

4. No one really won that deal, but Presti took a shot at a possible solution at center.

5. Thabo has been an excellent role player… no problems with that trade.

6. Harden wanted max money and a staring role that he knew the Thunder couldn’t provide, basically sealing his fate. Presti didn’t want to lose Harden for nothing so he pulled the trigger on the best possible trade at the time. Better trade options were attempted by Presti but other teams didn’t value Harden that highly. He made the best of a bad situation.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

Thabo is pretty good. And Jeff Green is pretty bad so just getting him off the team and Ibaka onto the court was a win. Perkins is pretty bad, but it is more Brooks fault that he still gets play time.

Harden trade was inexcusable. The only solution when a 22 year old US Olympian is going to become a free agent is to give him max money. Raise ticket prices if you need to, but you don’t trade a young franchise player for anything less than another franchise player.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

Thabo is pretty good. And Jeff Green is pretty bad so just getting him off the team and Ibaka onto the court was a win. Perkins is pretty bad, but it is more Brooks fault that he still gets play time.

Harden trade was inexcusable. The only solution when a 22 year old US Olympian is going to become a free agent is to give him max money. Raise ticket prices if you need to, but you don’t trade a young franchise player for anything less than another franchise player.

[JonOatsParticipant]

Serge was a great pick, but Durant was a no brainer at #2, and not messing up the 3 and 4 pick for Harden and Westbrook is not amazing.

Those other moves all added up has them losing

Harden, Bledsoe, Green, Nate, Mullens, Taj, Quincy, Brackins

for

Perkins, Lamb, PJIII, Steven Adams, Alex Abrines, Cole Aldrich, Mo Pete

That is a playoff rotation traded for zero starters. And this whole site is dedicated to either speculation or hindsight.

[CynthiaParticipant]

If I recall correctly back then Westbrook was projected more around the 8th pick range, and most were surprised he went as high as he did. Especially since there was A LOT of talk that Jerryd Bayless was going to be their pick.

In hindsight they definitely made the right choice of Westbrook over Bayless, but back then it was kind of a shocker.

[CynthiaParticipant]

If I recall correctly back then Westbrook was projected more around the 8th pick range, and most were surprised he went as high as he did. Especially since there was A LOT of talk that Jerryd Bayless was going to be their pick.

In hindsight they definitely made the right choice of Westbrook over Bayless, but back then it was kind of a shocker.

[JonOatsParticipant]

Serge was a great pick, but Durant was a no brainer at #2, and not messing up the 3 and 4 pick for Harden and Westbrook is not amazing.

Those other moves all added up has them losing

Harden, Bledsoe, Green, Nate, Mullens, Taj, Quincy, Brackins

for

Perkins, Lamb, PJIII, Steven Adams, Alex Abrines, Cole Aldrich, Mo Pete

That is a playoff rotation traded for zero starters. And this whole site is dedicated to either speculation or hindsight.

[theballerwayParticipant]

If wild ass Pat Beverly doesnt run into Westbrook they were in great postion to challenge for the title for the second year in a row. That play doesnt happen and so much of whats written above is irrelevant,

agree they had to move green, Mullens paaaah.

The Perkins trade may actually be constructive this season as his main thing was to contend with the likes of howard. Well Howard is in Houston and Im sure their paths will cross.

Plus I believe they got a trade exception for Kevin Martin (harden trade), which helps

[theballerwayParticipant]

If wild ass Pat Beverly doesnt run into Westbrook they were in great postion to challenge for the title for the second year in a row. That play doesnt happen and so much of whats written above is irrelevant,

agree they had to move green, Mullens paaaah.

The Perkins trade may actually be constructive this season as his main thing was to contend with the likes of howard. Well Howard is in Houston and Im sure their paths will cross.

Plus I believe they got a trade exception for Kevin Martin (harden trade), which helps

[OhCanada-Participant]

Thabo has won this team ballgames with outstanding perimeter defence. He may still be the best defender at his position.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Thabo has won this team ballgames with outstanding perimeter defence. He may still be the best defender at his position.

[theballerwayParticipant]

wasnt stuck on Portlands bench I feel; he may have developed alot better tho.

[CynthiaParticipant]

I agree Bayless was put into a bad situation at first. He was great for the Griz last year. But he’s still nowhere near Westbrook.

[CynthiaParticipant]

I agree Bayless was put into a bad situation at first. He was great for the Griz last year. But he’s still nowhere near Westbrook.

[theballerwayParticipant]

wasnt stuck on Portlands bench I feel; he may have developed alot better tho.

[rwd5035Participant]

Presti has a great record of drafting players, so we’ll have to see on Steven Adams and whether Jeremy Lamb makes it or not.

However, that James Harden trade and extension of Ibaka may be two things that define his GM legacy in Oklahoma City, whether rightly or wrongly, if OKC doesn’t win a title with Durant and Westbrook.

[CynthiaParticipant]

Very, very true. If they end up winning a championship people will forget about the Harden trade, but if they ultimately never win one with Durant/Westbrook it will always be blamed on the Harden trade. It’s funny how things like that work.

[CynthiaParticipant]

Very, very true. If they end up winning a championship people will forget about the Harden trade, but if they ultimately never win one with Durant/Westbrook it will always be blamed on the Harden trade. It’s funny how things like that work.

[rwd5035Participant]

Presti has a great record of drafting players, so we’ll have to see on Steven Adams and whether Jeremy Lamb makes it or not.

However, that James Harden trade and extension of Ibaka may be two things that define his GM legacy in Oklahoma City, whether rightly or wrongly, if OKC doesn’t win a title with Durant and Westbrook.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

You’re not going to find a perfect GM anywhere but Presit has hit, and hit HUGE, a lot more than he’s missed.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

You’re not going to find a perfect GM anywhere but Presit has hit, and hit HUGE, a lot more than he’s missed.

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