The Oklahoma City Thunder traded Russell Westbrook after the 2019 season to embark on a rebuild. It was painful getting rid of the franchise icon, but Sam Presti fleeced the Houston Rockets in this trade. Westbrook spent just one season in Houston before his partnership with James Harden failed. The Rockets gave up a massive haul to win one playoff series and embark on their own rebuild one year later. Presti got Chris Paul and two first-round draft picks for the Thunder legend.
CP3 rebuilt his value as he shockingly led OKC to the playoffs. He played a key role in mentoring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Thunder flipped Paul for a first-round draft pick after just one season. It only added to the value from the Westbrook trade, and Presti keeps maximizing it.
The 22nd overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft is the final piece from the Westbrook deal, but the 76ers selected Labaron Philon Jr. out of Alabama. OKC dealt it as part of the package for Jared McCain. Presti being able to flip the 22nd pick and three second-rounders into a talented guard on a rookie contract should further improve how fans view this trade. It was a massive win for the Thunder.
Thunder win Russell Westbrook trade as full details are finalized
Westbrook deserves his flowers. He spent his first 11 NBA seasons with the Thunder and became a Hall of Famer in OKC. Westbrook was the second-leading scorer on the 2012 squad that reached the NBA Finals. It felt like they were building a dynasty, but things quickly fell apart. Still, Westbrook won an MVP and helped the Thunder make the playoffs nine times.
It was time to move on in 2019. The Thunder traded Paul George and Russell Westbrook to enter a rebuild. Here are the full details of the Westbrook deal.
Thunder received: Chris Paul, Nikola Topic, Labaron Philon Jr.
Rockets acquired: Russell Westbrook
Fans can expand it to include the McCain deal by saying OKC gave the 76ers Philon Jr. and three second-round draft picks. The fact that OKC is still benefiting from the Westbrook trade after seven years is a testament to Sam Presti. The Thunder’s GM is always extracting the maximum value out of every move.
Presti could have taken a haul of draft capital, but he opted for Chris Paul. Landing a star guard in return allowed the Thunder to get even more value one year later and let his young players learn from the future Hall of Famer. It is the little things that pay massive dividends for Oklahoma City.
It is impossible to know who OKC would have selected, but the franchise is happy with Jared McCain. He played a key role off the bench in the 2026 playoffs and is just 22 years old. The 6’3 guard is already becoming a favorite of fans and his teammates. This was another example of Presti finding an undervalued asset and acquiring it.
The Oklahoma City Thunder unquestionably won the Russell Westbrook trade. It allowed them to get Chris Paul, make the playoffs in 2020, get an additional first-round pick for flipping CP3, draft Nikola Topic, and trade for Jared McCain. Consider this another Sam Presti masterpiece.
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