Since Kevin Durant’s departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, all eyes have focused on Russell Westbrook. Now the lone member of a once big four in OKC, the point guard’s future is entirely in the air.
Westbrook is a free agent in the upcoming summer. There is a growing belief that with Durant gone, he will also look for a new home in free agency. As such, the Thunder may look to trade their star now in order to get some assets back.
In fact, it appears that rival GMs think Thunder GM Sam Presti will do just that, and they have one team in mind.
Following from Howard Beck of Bleacher Report (h/t Pro Basketball Talk for the transcription):
“I don’t think anybody knows for certain what Russell Westbrook wants to do or intends to do, next summer. But that said, let’s just say there’s a very strong suspicion, a strong belief, among rival GMs that Russell Wesbtrook is not intending to stay, that he would leave next summer when he hits free agency. And because of that, the logical next step is that Sam Presti — who is always ahead of the curve on these things — will look to trade him. Now, I don’t know that that’s happening right this moment.
“What I’m hearing here in Las Vegas from some GMs is that, not only do they think that Westbrook will get traded, that it will be sooner than later — probably before the season starts — and that the most likely destination right now would be the Boston Celtics.”
Perhaps the most shocking thing out of this is that the early prediction is Westbrook being traded before the season starts. That seems a bit difficult to believe. This is contrary to previous reports about Presti’s decision on Westbrook. The Thunder have time to wait and see how their current team performs in order to gauge Westbrook’s interest in returning. If he is traded, I would expect it to be near the trade deadline.
As for the Celtics, they appear to be the team predicted as a destination in nearly every trade rumor. That certainly makes sense as the team is loaded with draft picks and has several nice, young players.
Whether this particular rumor is true or not, the Celtics’ name being brought up likely drives up the price for Westbrook. Teams with fewer assets will need to attach better ones in order to pry the point guard away. That is a risky procedure considering Westbrook could leave said team in July.
Russell Westbrook’s future in OKC will be one of the bigger stories in the NBA this season. That is, unless he is traded before the season begins.
