The Russell Westbrook rumors aren’t going away anytime soon. Until he signs an extension or he’s traded, we can expect a full serving of “Westbrook to ????” headlines.
Trading a superstar like Westbrook isn’t easy for Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder brass. It’s not like they select Westbrook, press X, and get a list of offers from 29 other teams. Presti has to make sure they’re getting a return on their investment. There are pros and cons of trading Westbrook and some carry a higher value than others. Obviously, the assumption here is that if Westbrook is traded, he wouldn’t sign an extension this offseason.
The Pros of Trading Russell Westbrook
Rebuild Immediately: Even with Westbrook, this team isn’t contending for a title next season. And if Westbrook leaves in the offseason as a free agent, they really aren’t contending in the coming seasons. So why not expedite the rebuilding process by a year? You can build around Cameron Payne, Victor Oladipo, Enes Kanter, Steven Adams, and whomever you get in the Westbrook deal.
No Distractions: If Westbrook enters the season as a member of the Thunder and hasn’t signed an extension, it becomes a distraction. Westbrook is going to be asked about it. Teammates are going to be asked about it. Management will be asked about it. Rumors are going to constantly pop up. Kevin Durant’s impending free agency wasn’t the distraction that most, myself included, thought it would be. But there’s no way Westbrook’s status isn’t talked about every single day in the local and national media. If Westbrook is gone, the distraction will be eliminated.
Getting A Return: Losing Westbrook is going to hurt. Getting a return takes a little bit of pain out of the situation. It’s nearly impossible to get an equal return for Westbrook, but knowing that something else is coming back and there isn’t a giant hole on the roster helps. If OKC loses Durant and Westbrook in back-to-back seasons with nothing to show for either except memories, that’s going to be pretty tough to comeback from.
No On-Court Scrutiny: The front office might be called to the principal’s office for trading Russ, especially if the return is less than desired, but on the court the team will be pretty immune to scrutiny. OKC fans have lived with the “Russ and KD Can’t Get It Done” headlines for years now. Even when Durant was hurt, Westbrook was criticized for his inefficiency and hollow numbers. People aren’t going to pay a lot of attention to a Westbrook-less Thunder. They’re going to make mistakes and they’re going to lose, but it’ll be chalked up to inexperience and talent downgrade.
Fewer Turnovers: Cam Payne would struggle as the starting point guard, but I don’t know if he’ll turn the ball over as much as Westbrook usually does.
Steven Adams Becomes The Star: And he takes all the shots down the stretch. Admit it. You now want to see this happen.
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The Cons of Trading Russell Westbrook
Season Over: It could be fun to watch a completely revamped Thunder team without Westbrook, Durant, and Serge Ibaka for a couple of games. But the losing is going to sting. Again, OKC isn’t a title contender with or without Westbrook, but with Westbrook, there is a reason to tune in. He could post a 40-15-10 game and no one would be surprised. That chip on his shoulder is going to be of the family sized variety. Hell hath no fury like a scorned Westbrook. Without Westbrook, they’re just a young team who will compete hard, but ultimately fall short. And watching a team lose a lot gets pretty tiring.
End of an Era: With apologies to Nick Collison, losing Westbrook signifies the end of the Baby Thunder Era. We watched Presti build a team from almost nothing and draft All-Star after All-Star. We watched Durant grow into the league’s best scorer, Westbrook grow into the league’s most dynamic player, Ibaka grow into a two-way force. We lived through the painful playoff exits and the crippling injuries. We watched boys grow into men. If Westbrook is dealt, we’re going to have to go through that entire process all over again. It’ll truly be an end of an era that will be remembered for what it wasn’t more than what it is.
The Message: Durant was reportedly frustrated when OKC couldn’t land Pau Gasol in free agency a few seasons ago. If the lure of playing with Durant and Westbrook couldn’t land them a marquee free agent, it’s fair to wonder whether or not they’ll ever land a marquee free agent. Durant is gone. James Harden, Reggie Jackson, Ibaka, and in this scenario Westbrook: all traded. What does that say about the franchise that they’re unable to keep every high-end talent that they’ve drafted? The situations were all different and some were unavoidable, but it doesn’t change the fact that all of them are gone. And how about the fans? The true fans will stick around and realize that the NBA is a business and that management did their best, but it just wasn’t in the cards for them. But a lot of fans will start to question their fandom and wonder if it’s worth sticking it out, knowing a title isn’t coming anytime soon and star players are constantly leaving.
Value: You won’t get fair value for Westbrook. He’s a top five, top ten at worst, player in the league. Unless the return is Kyrie Irving, OKC will be lucky to get 75 cents on the dollar. A platter of picks and prospects could be nice, but picks and prospects are unknown quantities. In five years, we could look back on a potential Westbrook trade and say that OKC made out well in the deal. But if something goes down this offseason, no one will call OKC the winner of the trade.
Next: Thunder silence not unnoticed
Fashion: We’d all miss Westbrook’s awesome pre-game outfits.
Dance Partners: Poor Cameron Payne.