NBA salary cap exercise: What player would every team amnesty?
By Corey Rausch
Oklahoma City Thunder – Steven Adams
Full disclosure, this choice only makes sense should the team decide to dip fully into the rebuild. As rumors abound that Chris Paul may be traded after this season then it is time to start the full rebuild around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the collection of picks coming in the future. If Paul is gone Steven Adams does not need to be on the team making $27.5 million.
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Adams still has a ton of obvious value, part of one of the most lethal lineups in the NBA this season. The traditional box score stats are not indicative of his overall impact. He is 20th in defensive rebound percentage (minimum 25 minutes per game) and first in offensive rebound percentage. He is still only 26 years old and is a valuable player for any contending team.
The simple truth of the matter is that if the team moves on from Chris Paul they are not a contending team. They would be one of the few Western Conference teams not claiming to be playing for the playoffs next season which opens the door for a stealthy quick rebuild path. Moving on from $68.9 million in salary for two players to accelerate that process feels like a no brainer.