The Thunder got Derrick Favors in a salary-dump trade with the Jazz last summer. But unlike with many of the veterans acquired during its rebuild, Oklahoma City didn’t flip Favors for even more value.
He just wasn’t good enough and was too highly paid.
Which Favors – who holds a $10,183,800 player option for next season – seems to know.
If he declines his option, Favors almost certainly wouldn’t return to Oklahoma City next year. The 30-year-old doesn’t fit the Thunder’s timeline. So, the first sentence means the second sentence is more than a “probably.”
When he opts in, Favors – Oklahoma City’s highest-paid player – could be useful in a trade with his mid-sized expiring contract. The right team might even place some small value on adding him for center depth, though he’d primarily be included in any deal for salary matching.
If not traded, Favors could also provide value as a veteran mentor in Oklahoma City.
