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It’s all fun and games for the Oklahoma City Thunder until they see how much their tax bill is going to be if they decided to keep Paul George and Carmelo Anthony past this season.
The Thunder made waves back in the summer by trading current and future assets to acquire George and Anthony and partnering them with Russell Westbrook to bolster the team’s chances of taking home an NBA title.
Initially, these moves were viewed as the Thunder’s way of conveying they’re going for broke this season, as it’s hard to envision Oklahoma City, a small market team, having a pocket deep enough to sign George and Anthony in free agency. Both players have their contracts expiring at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
That sentiment remains to be the same to this day if you ask ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who spoke on his podcast recently and said that George, in particular, can pledge loyalty with the Thunder past this season but the price would be dizzying for the team.
“If we're being honest with ourselves, this is a one-year run with this team. They have one chance with this team because they cannot bring back this team together next year. Even if Paul George re-signs and says ‘I want to stay.' Financially, it is impossible for this team, I don't want to say remotely look the same, but the idea of Carmelo, Westbrook and George on the same roster withe Melo opting into his salary next year.”
George and Anthony have player options for the 2018-19 season of $20.7 million and $27.9 million, respectively, which means the Thunder must be ready to pay an outrageous amount of luxury tax bill if they plan to retain both players. Also take note that the Thunder just struck a three-year $85.5 million deal with Westbrook back in September.
This season, the Thunder are over the salary cap limit by $33 million and are $13 million above the luxury tax threshold.
All that and the Thunder are still just 4-7 through the first 11 games this year.
