Russell Westbrook has grabbed lots of headlines over the past month. Ever since Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors, both fans and media want to know what’s going to happen with the All-Star point guard. Is he staying with the Oklahoma City Thunder? Will he test the free agent market in 2017? Could a trade happen soon?
Nothing has been confirmed yet, but it seems Russ will remain with the Thunder organization for the foreseeable future. According to a report from Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Westbrook is finalizing the details to sign a three-year, $85 million with the franchise that drafted him. He might lose a bit of money in the long-run, but staying with OKC seems like the best move for all parties involved.
First of all, Westbrook is a bonafide superstar and a Top 5 player in the NBA. His sole presence makes the Thunder a possible contender in the Western Conference, and moving elsewhere might not be the best idea right now – unless the Boston Celtics are willing to trade for him, but there hasn’t been an indication of that happening anytime soon. The Los Angeles Lakers have enough prospects to trade for him, but he’s much better in OKC. After all, the Lakers are not going to contend any time soon.
There’s also his image. After Durant left for greener pastures (a.k.a the Golden State Warriors), Westbrook became the face of a franchise that has been one of the best in the league over the past five or six years. He has a real shot of becoming a legend in OKC. That would give him the chance to increase his name on the market as a business brand.
Last but not least, we have the basketball side of things. Westbrook had the best numbers of his career last season while sharing the offensive load with a healthy Kevin Durant. If he becomes the focal point of Oklahoma City this next season, then the sky is the limit for him. His skill set is so unique, he might even end up averaging a triple-double. He’s also an MVP candidate and he’s capable of carrying the Thunder until, at least, the West Semifinals. He’s that good.
Details have to be ironed out before the deal is announced, but both sides are close to get the deal done. What’s clear is that both parties are doing the right thing in this situation. Wesbrook will benefit from being the Alpha Dog in Oklahoma City, while the franchise will get to retain their star player for the next few years. That’s a luxury not many small-market teams can have.
Will they take advantage from it? That’s a whole different story.