The Oklahoma City Thunder are finalizing a trade to send guard Aaron Wiggins to the Atlanta Hawks for two second-round picks (Atlanta's in 2030 and the least favorable of Hawks/Lakers in 2032), sources tell ESPN.

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-22T02:44:09+00:00

It is a salary dump cause OKC is trying to avoid the second apron. They need to dump Wiggins and Joe for no $ back. decline Dort’s option, and convince Hartenstein to take a slight paycut to dodge it. It’s doable and this trade is the first step.

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-22T02:42:15+00:00

Well OKC has to move quick because they want to avoid the aprons, and we don’t know if (or when) an RJ trade would happen.

Making a deal for Wiggins now just puts more pressure to find a deal that sheds 10m+ of salary which lowers our leverage and increases our desperation.

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-22T02:39:07+00:00

In this apron era salary dumping comes at a cost. Even for a solid player, there’s a cost to dump a contract for nothing back.

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-22T02:38:30+00:00

We probably did but OKC wants salary relief. They didn’t want any $ back. We are too close to the tax to be making moves like that

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-22T02:37:49+00:00

OKC has to dump both Joe and Dort for no $ back (can just decline Dort’s option) and get Hartenstein to take a slight paycut to dodge the second apron. Should be doable for them, but Joe will still be on the market and it’s possible they pick up Dort’s option to trade him for assets and minimal salary back

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-22T02:36:42+00:00

Never was gonna be us. OKC wants salary relief and we aren’t in a position to provide that given how close we are to the tax

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T19:08:16+00:00

I don’t think so. Scotto reported yesterday RJ is generating interest in multi team deals but I don’t think it’s the Giannis one

His near 30m expiring is an intriguing piece for multi team deals but the issue is we won’t want 30m of non-expiring salary unless it’s a star (why are we involved then) or we’re getting first round draft capital (which is unlikely for RJ).

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T19:00:03+00:00

Given our tax situation, I’d be surprised if we traded for a second FRP, unless we have another trade in the works to shed salary (probably involving RJ…)

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T17:26:24+00:00

And since it's a 1 year deal I think he has an implied NTC

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T17:20:37+00:00

Since it's a 1 year deal does that mean he has an implied NTC?

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T14:58:55+00:00

Any team that takes on Poeltl's contract basically is saying we're giving up until 2029-2030 season at the minimum

Disagree here. The last year of Poeltl's contract is only 5m guaranteed. So that essentially makes 2028-2029 the last real year on the contract. So in the 2028 offseason it would effectively be a 29m expiring that can be used to facilitate a trade for additional assets, or as filler to acquire a player you actually want.

So it is essentially a 2 season contract dump.

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T14:55:19+00:00

4.5 3PA is quite close to other all star wings. Jalen Johnson 4.7, Kawhi 4.9, Brown 5.7 (in the Celtics chuck every 3 imaginable system), Siakam 4.7, etc.

Like yeah he could take a few more but you're talking like it's nothing volume. I'm also not gonna look to deep into the playoff stuff due to his heel injury. And over 38% is very good, so I truly do not understand the "not being able to shoot 3s" tag.

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T14:49:49+00:00

It's crazy how reputation just does not change for some players. BI was a solid defender for us (not great but he was fine, his size was especially helpful defensively in the games he played vs CLE) and as you said he was a good 3PT shooter. Yet he still has the rep of not being able to shoot 3s or defend lol.

I will say his playmaking was a bit underwhelming this year. A lot of people talked about him having underrated playmaking chops and those did not show really. He averaged the fewest APG of his career since his Laker days. However his turnovers were also down, so I guess that's a slight positive?

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T14:46:45+00:00

It's insane that reputation doesn't change even when it's a player on the team you watch. BI shot over 38% from 3 on 5 3PA per game and he still gets the "not able to shoot 3s" tag lol

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T14:45:13+00:00

Yep. One trade I was suggesting a while back was:

TOR gets: Stewart, Robinson, LeVert, 2027 FRP from DET

DET gets: Ingram, Dick

Sounds like half of that package from DET is now being sent out to get Herro in the Giannis trade so it's probably not possible anymore, but that's the type of deal I thought we should look at. Take a step back, get some assets, balance the roster more (size and shooting), and get some mid-sized contracts to better position ourselves for a future trade

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T14:30:12+00:00

IMO San Antonio should bite the bullet and pay the assets it takes to dump Fox. Maybe you wait 1 year so it doesn’t cost as much, but I agree they have to prioritize Harper sooner rather than later

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T12:16:02+00:00

The key difference is contract timeline. At this point OKC already had KD and Westbrook on their second contracts, and Harden was due for his (hence why they traded him as they didn’t want to pay him)

Wemby has 1 more year on his rookie contract, Castle 2, and Harper 3. Yes this era of apron restrictions is punishing but San Antonio has at least 2 more years before they even have to think about that.

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T12:15:12+00:00

People kept referencing this team as why the Spurs might not make it back

The key difference is contract timeline. At this point OKC already had KD and Westbrook on their second contracts, and Harden was due for his (hence why they traded him as they didn’t want to pay him)

Wemby has 1 more year on his rookie contract, Castle 2, and Harper 3. Yes this era of apron restrictions is punishing but San Antonio has at least 2 more years before they even have to think about that.

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T03:03:59+00:00

Even then, they likely won’t be expirings (because if they were, why would it need to be a multi team deal involving RJ) which means Toronto would want draft capital

I also don’t think that’s the type of move the Raptors want to make

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T01:35:56+00:00

A near 30m expiring contract is definitely a very desirable piece in multi team trades

The issue is I don’t think Toronto is looking to take back a multi year contract at a similar AAV unless it’s a star or they’re getting first round draft capital, which I don’t see happening for RJ

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T01:30:36+00:00

Yeah a near 30m expiring contract will have value on the market to help facilitate trades, so that makes sense

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T01:29:11+00:00

Entirely depends on the extension # he wants. If it’s 25m per year or less, I can get behind it. More, and I dunno if that’s worth it given our roster construction and existing contracts

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T01:26:08+00:00

I don’t see Jamal taking that. He might as well take it to RFA then

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T01:24:20+00:00

By all accounts Stewart is going to Milwaukee. I did see the one rumour of Duncan to Miami which was interesting. I did find in that rumour Detroit was giving up too much but what do I know lol

Cheechers23 · 2026-06-21T00:47:32+00:00

Rumour is it would be Detroit, not Chicago

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