Oklahoma City Thunder fans won’t cry over Dion Waiters’ looming departure to the Miami Heat if it means Russell Westbrook remains for the long haul.
Once Waiters’ free-agent exit becomes official, the Thunder will have enough salary cap space to offer Westbrook a maximum contract, ESPN’s Royce Young reported Tuesday. Westbrook’s current contract expires after the 2016-17 season, and signing him to an extension is one of the Thunder’s priority — especially in light of Kevin Durant’s defection to the Golden State Warriors.
“With Waiters set to sign with the Heat, that hold will come off, bringing the Thunder more than $14 million under the salary cap,” Young writes. “To sign Westbrook to a maximum extension, the Thunder need about $8.7 million in space.
“The Thunder can renegotiate Westbrook’s contract up, starting him on a four-year, maximum level deal this season. Currently, Westbrook is set to make $17.7 million this season, but could move that to close to around $27.5 million on a renegotiated deal this season. In the long term, Westbrook will make more money on a renegotiated extension than if he waits to sign a max level contract next summer, even with the rising salary cap.”
Whether Westbrook would be willing to stay in Oklahoma City is uncertain. His decision likely depends more on the Thunder’s ability to recruit another star — Blake Griffin, perhaps — than the money on the table.
Should Westbrook refuse to sign an extension, the Thunder likely will look to trade him.
In that scenario, Oklahoma City fans would be well within their rights to weep over the loss of two superstars in a short span of time … and Waiters, too.
Thumbnail photo via Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports Images
