The 2025 NBA offseason is shaping up to be the summer of reunions. From Damian Lillard heading back to Portland to Chris Paul agreeing to reunite with the Clippers, fans have already witnessed several storybook homecomings. Excitingly enough, if they wanted to, the OKC Thunder could pull off the most storied reunification of them all.
After roughly a month of being readily available on the free agency market, nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook still finds himself unemployed and eager to contribute in some capacity for a team in 2025-26.
With every passing day, the former MVP is seemingly linked to a new possible landing spot where he can continue his playing career into year 18. Should he link up with another new squad, it will mark down as his seventh in a span of seven seasons.
When looking at the paths that the likes of Lillard and Paul took, it's quite apparent that, during these latter days of their careers, they've grown tired of relocating and, instead, have opted to head back to places already familiar to them.
Since the aforementioned future Hall of Famers have made their decisions, in both vocalized and subliminal fashion, both have publicly shown how personal each of these respective franchises are to them both as a player and person.
Perhaps this could resonate with Westbrook and attract him back to the Sooner State.
Recent reunion trend could lead Russell Westbrook back to Thunder
Unlike the endings of both Lillard's and Paul's tenures with the Blazers and Clippers, respectively, Russell Westbrook's departure from the Thunder in 2019 was as amicable a split as possible.
Since then, the point guard has done nothing but praise the organization for their professionalism and personal attachment to him, often being quoted as saying the Thunder "raised me" and that, while he may be a born-and-raised California native, to him, Oklahoma City is "home."
He's even gone on record saying that "anything that’s happening in Oklahoma City, for the future and the growth of Oklahoma City, I will be a part of.”
What's a better way to be part of the growth of the city than to literally be a part of the city?
Now, of course, considering the Thunder have all 15 roster spots already locked in for next season, Sam Presti and company would likely need to make some sort of trade simply to create the space necessary for this exciting hypothetical to become a reality.
However, whether it comes at the expense of losing someone like Ousmane Dieng or Kenrich Williams for nothing, from the emotional standpoint and potential on-court production (averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds last season with Denver) that would come as a result of bringing back OKC's beloved GOAT, making such a move could easily prove to be well worth it in the end.