Russell Westbrook trade rumors were expected the moment that Paul George got traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Late Friday evening, OKC dealt PG13 to the Clippers, signaling that the franchise might be heading toward a rebuilding period. In exchange for George, OKC acquired Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick, and two future pick swaps.
Now, the possibility arises that the Thunder could deal Westbrook in order to continue a rebuild that would completely reshape the franchise.
Russell Westbrook trade rumors from Woj
According to NBA analyst Adrian Wojnarowski, Westbrook and Thad Foucher (his agent) are currently speaking with the general manager of the Thunder about his future with the franchise. The possibility of a trade is also on the table.
There are a lot of teams that would love to acquire a player like Westbrook. He has averaged a triple-double for three straight NBA seasons, and, despite that, continues to be an underrated force in the league.
Very soon, though, Westbrook could follow James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Kevin Durant, and Paul George right out the front door. That might be a tough pill for fans of the Thunder to swallow, especially with how close the team got to winning its first title since arriving in Oklahoma City.
Russell Westbrook contract
Westbrook still has four years left on his current contract. He signed a five-year deal with the OKC Thunder, calling for him to be paid roughly $38.5 million, $41.4 million, $44.2 million, and $47.1 million over the next four NBA seasons.
This is where the real NBA trade rumors get started, as any team in search of a superstar player is going to get linked to the Oklahoma City Thunder. That includes the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers, as the franchise would really like to add another star to the duo of James and Anthony Davis.
Another interesting destination could be the New York Knicks, as the franchise has been starved for a star player. Maybe the Dallas Mavericks could even enter the discussion after the team missed out on signing Kemba Walker.
If a team does start to surface as a favorite in the Russell Westbrook trade rumors, it is going to be very expensive to acquire him. Is there an NBA franchise really willing to pay full price for the veteran point guard?
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