5. Steven Adams
Heading into the summer of 2019, the Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves at a crossroads: keep the team together after a disappointing season, or look to make drastic changes.
In order to make those changes, the front office would have to look at at how they could manipulate the trade market. Presti would almost assuredly not trade away the franchise’s cornerstone players of Russell Westbrook and Paul George. The next largest salary on the team belongs to Steven Adams.
Although Adams posted career highs in points (13.9), field goal attempts (10.1), rebounds (9.5), assists (1.6) and steals per game (1.5), questions still exist about his fit with the Thunder — especially with a non-shooting point guard like Westbrook.
Adams has two years left on his contract, earning $25.8 million in the 2019-20 season and $27.5 million in 2020-21. If Presti is able to find a team willing to part with quality wing players in return for the 25 year-old center, it is an option he will have to consider.