Revisiting OKC Thunder offseason and grading every move to date
By Aidan E
The heartbreaker:
While it hurts trading your franchise player, especially to a hated rival in the Houston Rockets, after the George and Grant deals, everybody knew Westbrook was next, it was just a matter of which team would get him.
OKC essentially swapped bloated contract for a bloated contract with the Thunder receiving Chris Paul as well as two first-rounders in 2024 and 2026, with two pick swaps in 2021 and 2025.
Chris Paul’s contract goes for one less season than Westbrook’s (Free Agent in 2022) and is slated to make the same as Russ for the next three seasons. (roughly $124 million).
The market appeared to be quiet for Westbrook. The Miami Heat were seemingly the only team linked to him but they did not want to give up multiple young players (Justise Winslow, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo).
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While both players have regressed over the past few seasons, the trade makes sense in that the Thunder wanted to honor Westbrooks’ wishes in playing with former teammate and friend James Harden, and OKC wanted to rid themselves of the $47 million owed to Westbrook the season he turns 34.
While it hurts to lose Russ and not acquire any proven young talent like a Justice Winslow, the Thunder shed significant salary in 2023 and set themselves up nicely for the future with the two protected first-round picks.