All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook might soon don the black, white and gray of the San Antonio Spurs when the Oklahoma City Thunder finally trades him. A report Monday by an Oklahoma City beat writer, however, claims Westbrook has not spoken with Durant since that franchise-altering decision and that the all-star point guard is feeling “angry and hurt” by it.
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But Russell Westbrook playing out his contract and leaving the Thunder in limbo for the second straight season isn’t what the Thunder’s front office had in mind since Durant left. “We’re like family.” And yet, despite that kind of bond, Young reports that Westbrook had to find out what was happening second-hand. But, when the free agency season rolled in, everything seemed to change.
Although he received offers from various teams, it was always expected that Durant will re-sign with the Thunder. He joined a new team, his former team lost their superstar, his new team got a great new player, and one thing probably many people don’t know is that his restaurant in Oklahoma City will also be affected. Westbrook is the last man standing.
Westbrook may come to respect Durant’s decision, but for now, it sound like he is understandably unhappy about it. It’s not hard to gauge him when it comes to public comments; he’s as transparent as they come. ESPN reported a conversation Durant and Westbrook had over dinner prior to the free agent’s meetings with teams in the Hamptons. And there’s no doubt that the organization felt a little bit burned by this. Or will he at least have the decency to give the front office a heads up that he wants out, rather than leading them on for an entire year? They aren’t interested in a teardown.
Westbrook can still receive a highly lucrative offer with other teams, but may choose the comfort of sticking with the team that drafted him in 2008. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, he doesn’t want to be traded.
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Current projections for perennial MVP candidates Steph Curry and LeBron James are in the $30 million-$34 million per season range, and Westbrook might be willing to bet on himself getting to the $30 million range, too. It’s the year after that’s in question. Effectively, he’s making his 2017 decision now. No matter what your intentions to do with your players, I would think the first thing you want to do is make sure people are happy with what you are doing.
