Has Russell Westbrook taken the Oklahoma City Thunder as far as he can?
An “increasing number” of people around the NBA believe the Thunder should consider trading the superstar guard, ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported Monday on “The Lowe Post Podcast,” citing NBA sources. Lowe’s information in the aftermath of the Thunder’s loss to the Utah Jazz in the NBA playoffs, which marked the second consecutive season OKC has exited the NBA playoffs in the first round.
“There’s an increasing number of people around the league who think the Thunder should look at trading Westbrook,” Lowe says. “To be clear, not a report. Not Thunder sources think they should do this. Just in spitballing ideas with teams around the league, there’s a number of people who have heard, just like, ‘It’s time for something to change here.'”
The five-year, $205 million contract extension Westbrook signed last September take effect at the start of the 2018-19 season. Many assumed at the time his deal would keep him with the team for years to come, but thinking around the league about his future reportedly is changing.
However, that doesn’t mean the Thunder actually will consider trading Westbrook. Retaining Paul George probably is their highest offseason priority.
