Russell Westbrook’s marriage with the Oklahoma City Thunder could end in 2017 with the all star guard expected to test the market like his former teammate Kevin Durant. The issue went up a notch when word came out that Westbrook will not sign any extension on the table.
With that in mind, his tenure seems murky and this was where the NBA trade rumors came in. If the Thunder had no guarantee of commitment from the all star guard, many felt that general manager Sam Presti and company were better off looking at options rather than end up with nothing.
Teams like the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers came into play, two teams who could take the risk of signing Westbrook with no promise he would re-sign after the 2016-17 NBA season. The Celtics seemed to be leading the pack though they didn’t seem to have the resources to make the whole thing work.
No Trade for Westbrook for now
There are other teams being linked to Russell Westbrook but all those will likely end up nothing more than fantasies. Real GM reports that the score-first guard does not want to be traded and would prefer to play out the season with OKC.
The catch is that Westbrook is unsure about his future, meaning all cards are on the table next Summer. The good news is that Westbrook will reportedly give it (an extension) serious thought meaning the Thunder still have a slim chance of retaining the 27-year-old guard.
Westbrook Fuming over Durant departure?
From the looks of it, Westbrook will embrace his new role as team leader. Kevin Durant’s departure has automatically made him the go-to-guy and he is ready to step up.
Westbrook is reportedly ticked off with Durant’s decision to leave and that could be a spark he will use to motivate himself for next season.
For the Thunder, they have a lock on Westbrook for the 2016-17 NBA wars. What happens after that is anyone’s guess.
