The Oklahoma City Thunder didn't trade Serge Ibaka, as first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, in preparation for the nuclear fallout of Kevin Durant's exit in free agency.
We know that for a couple of reasons.
First, reports immediately following the deal's draft-day announcement told us so. Here's Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman and Royce Young of ESPN.com on the Durant-free reasoning:
Now, if you're the Thunder, those are precisely the kinds of sentiments you'd leak to keep the panic to a minimum. Think back to last season, when the Portland Trail Blazers jettisoned starters left and right but wouldn't acknowledge it was because they knew LaMarcus Aldridge was on his way out.
Fortunately for OKC fans hoping Durant sticks around (which is all of them), there's also a ton of objective logic that suggests the Ibaka move will improve the team's sales pitch to its best player: This deal might make the Thunder a bit better in the short term and a lot better down the line.
Ibaka was unhappy in Oklahoma City and groused about his role throughout the season, per Slater ...
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Article written by Grant Hughes
How Serge Ibaka Trade Impacts OKC Thunder, Kevin Durant Free Agency
June 23rd, 2016 by Grant Hughes Leave a reply »
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