Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 takeaways from the 2018 offseason

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 21: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the game against the Utah Jazz in Game Three of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. The Thunder will spend money to sign players

The Thunder signed Paul George and Jerami Grant to long-term contracts. This was all while over the salary cap.

Both players were signed using the Bird exception, which allows teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents.

For these two players to be qualified for Bird rights, they have to have played three consecutive years without being waived or change teams due to free agency. Both players were traded to the Thunder.

These two signings show that the Thunder will do whatever it takes to put a product on the floor that is competitive. While pushing their luxury tax and salary cap to the limits, they were able to sign players that can help in key areas of their team next season.

The Thunder are in the process of limiting their luxury tax after the Carmelo trade, trading Dakari Johnson to the Orlando Magic to cut an additional $2.6 million from their tab. Still, the Thunder were not afraid to spend money to re-sign their players and get players that will help them.

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