With the Oklahoma City Thunder making a surprise exit in the NBA playoffs, it comes to no surprise that the blame game has begun. And for Russell Westbrook, getting his share of criticism hardly comes as a surprise although he is not solely to blame.
Everyone knows how Westbrook opted to stay on with the Thunder than head elsewhere. He signed that five-year $205 million contract extension, one of the biggest guaranteed deals in NBA history. With Kevin Durant heading to the Golden State Warriors, the 2017 NBA MVP could do as he wishes with the Thunder. He showed his true worth and OKC found a way to survive with the 30-year-old embracing his new role as the face of the franchise.
There is no doubt that Westbrook has proven he can do much more than just score. He has put up triple-double numbers and has been performing well alongside another NBA star in Paul George. But somehow, the duo failed to lead the team past the Portland Trail Blazers. Some say it was a case of bad luck while others believe the team needs more players involved. Those are likely to be addressed in the summer.
There will be player movement and new faces next season for the Thunder. However, Westbrook and George are expected to stay put. Seeing these two guys dealt somewhere seems outrageous although this will not stop critics from coming up with their own (ridiculous) theories. There was actually one made during a podcast with Bill Simmons of the Ringer and Ryen Rusillo of ESPN discussing the possibility of a Russell Westbrook trade.
One point they made was comparing Westbrook to Allen Iverson. Most know how AI wanted to be the main part of the offense and it looks like they were insinuating the same thing. Assuming that for some reason a trade does get done, two names were suggested - Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball of the Los Angeles Lakers.
On one end, the Lakers would not mind should it be made a reality. But for the Thunder, it makes no sense, considering you have one of the NBA stars in the league today. Further, OKC is not in rebuild mode, at least not yet. Westbrook is only 30 and has more good years ahead of him.
The Thunder will undergo changes in the NBA offseason. But that may not include a trade involving Russell Westbrook or even Paul George. There are tweaks to be made but none needed on the stars of the team.
