Adrian Wojnarowski explains the details of how the Thunder signed Paul George SportsCenter ESPN
Paul George is back. Now what for the Oklahoma City Thunder?
George's return, considered a huge long shot when the Thunder acquired him from the Indiana Pacers this time a year ago, creates what can safely be categorized as good problems for Oklahoma City. Maxing out George and re-signing key reserve Jerami Grant will push the Thunder far over the luxury-tax line. Worse yet, Oklahoma City would be paying the tax for the fourth time in five years, meaning it would join the more punitive category of repeat taxpayers.
So while bringing back George and Grant ensures the Thunder keep their core intact, it likely means more moves are coming to mitigate what could be a historic luxury-tax bill.
Oklahoma City's massive payroll
Including George but not yet Grant, the Thunder have nearly $150 million committed to 10 players under contract for 2018-19, already enough to put Oklahoma City far above the $123.7 million tax line.
Assuming Grant's three-year, $27 million deal will include standard eight percent raises and filling out the roster with minimum-salary contracts for the Thunder's three 2018 second-round picks (who will help save money if signed to NBA contracts), that would push the team salary to more than $158 million. Oklahoma City would then pay a luxury-tax bill of more than $142 million -- easily surpassing the previous record of $90-plus million for the 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets and bringing total payroll beyond $300 million.
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There are few easy options for the Thunder to cut payroll. The one exception would be waiving Kyle Singler and stretching the remaining $5 million guaranteed on his contract over the next five seasons, reducing his cap hit to a little less than $1 million. Doing so and filling Singler's roster spot with a player signed for the veteran's minimum would shave nearly $15 million off the Oklahoma City tax bill and save the team about $17 million overall.
Beyond that, the Thunder would likely have to trade rotation players to save money next season. Alex Abrines ($5.5 million in the final season of his contract) and Patrick Patterson ($5.5 million, with a $5.7 million player option for 2019-20) could be replaced more cheaply in free agency, but both played regular minutes last season and Patterson in particular may be difficult to trade without giving up draft-pick compensation.
Then there's Carmelo Anthony, who chose to make $27.9 million in the final season of his contract rather than test free agency. Oklahoma City could save money in 2018-19 by dealing Anthony for a player (or players)
