The Oklahoma City Thunder were dealt a huge blow to their championship aspirations. Forward Kevin Durant decided to sign with the Golden State Warriors leaving Russell Westbrook as the only star on the team. Westbrook is not interested in talking a long-term extension with the Thunder at this point.
Westbrook is in the last year of his deal which will pay him $17.769 million this season. Next offseason he is set to become an unrestricted free agent and will be able to sign with any team. Westbrook is a decent player but he is not a Kevin Durant. Durant is a superstar and Westbrook isn’t.
Westbrook isn’t pleased the Thunder didn’t keep Durant, but this might be an opportunity for him to become the veteran and the leader on the team. The Thunder could build a team around him, making him the core of the basketball team. It might take a few seasons for them to become a championship team.
If Westbrook is really that unhappy with the Thunder, they might as well seek a trade right now. This would allow Westbrook to play in another city giving him a better chance to win an NBA championship. This make sense for the Thunder because they would get something back for him. That could be draft picks to build for the future or players. If he leaves during free agency, the Thunder wouldn’t get anything. At least with a trade they would be receiving something for Westbrook.
The Thunder should begin the season with Westbrook. If they start out well with him being the leader, they might make the playoffs. If it is an awful year, they could deal him during the season. This will all be up to the Thunder. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. Hopefully Oklahoma City will make the right decision with Westbrook, even if they deal him to another team.
What should the Oklahoma City Thunder do with Russell Westbrook?
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