The three-team deal between the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks swapped six players that included J.R. Smith, Dion Waiters and Iman Shumpert. With Waiters headed to Oklahoma City, is soon-to-be restricted free agent Reggie Jackson might now be expendable.
Both ESPN and Yahoo Sports confirmed the trade, which was made Monday night.
Per ESPN:
"As part of the deal, Dion Waiters goes to the Thunder, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert go to the Cavs and three players with nonguaranteed contracts -- Alex Kirk and Lou Amundson from the Cavs and Lance Thomas from the Thunder -- join the Knicks. Also, the Thunder are sending a protected future first-round draft pick to the Cavs, who are sending their 2019 second-round pick to the Knicks.
"The Thunder are sending a protected 2015 first-round pick to Cleveland in the deal."
Cleveland gained a potential scorer off the bench in Smith and a perimeter defender in Shumpert, and New York cleared up salary cap space - more than $20 million in space and taxes, according to ESPN - and got rid of a player who Knicks president Phil Jackson wasn't fond of.
Oklahoma's decision to trade for Waiters, though, is surprising and somewhat telling.
Since the offseason, the Thunder front office has been saying they intended to match any offer sheet given to Jackson in the summer. Jackson, who's turning in another big season and purportedly wants to be a starter, is likely to come with a hefty price tag. By picking up Waiter's more team-friendly contract, it could be a signal - or simply insurance - that Oklahoma City plans to move away from Jackson this summer. Trading Jackson this season is another possibility, but it seems less likely given most teams are unwilling to fork over viable assets for a player who they can pursue in the summer for less.
If Oklahoma City does plan to part ways with Jackson, it's a risky move. Jackson is more of a proven player than Waiters, and with Kevin Durant's free agency looming around the corner, letting Jackson go in the summer could backfire for the franchise: If Waiters struggles next season and the Thunder regress without Jackson, it could be enough to convince Durant to sign elsewhere in 2016.
Two other scenarios: 1) Jackson chooses he's OK playing the sixth man role, or 2) Oklahoma City pays whatever it takes to keep him, and then starts a backcourt of Jackson and Russell Westbrook - a la the Phoenix Suns - with Waiters coming off the bench. Again, the question is whether the Thunder will want to pay top dollar for Jackson.
