Westbrook Signs Max Extension

[greg683x]

so much for him jumping to LA

[Smartacus]

Happy for Russell Westbrook re-signing on the supermax further cements him as an icon of this era, if they could possibly take down Golden State this year it sets up Westbrook/Durant player rivalry of a caliber not seen since Bird/Magic.

Happy for OKC. Those goofballs in loud city are a huge reason why he re-signed, that building is going to be ridiculous this year. Great reward for the excellent managment showed by Sam Presti this year.

Happy for the NBA. The East needs some of the great teams back but hopefully Milwaukee and Phily can take the next step. The West meanwhile is a murderer's row of talent right now and Westbrook staying put solidifies the newest superteam. Great time to be a fan.

[SparzWizard]

Looks like all the Russell Westbrook to LA Lakers talks will finally end.

[RJ87]

So since KD left:


Durant - Fit in seamlessly with a historically great team that didn't really need him, dominated the playoffs, won a championship & Finals MVP, took a huge pay cut to help keep the team together, and created burner Instagram and Twitter accounts so he could argue with 11 year olds.


Westbrook - Took a million shots as a one man show, won MVP, lost in the first round, got his GM to make desperation trades to get one year rentals of P.G. and Melo, then signed a $200 million extension; will likely never win a title but will likely make substantially more money over his career than KD.

Seems about right.


I'm happy for OKC fans though.  These days it feels more and more rare for one player to stay with a team long term and to have that security as a fan to know your team will have a consistent core identity.

Agree with most of it, but desperation trades? They gave up their two worst contracts (or 2 of 3 if you're not keen on Adams) and I believe 0 draft picks, and might not even be on the hook for any salary after this year while having Bird rights for two elite players.

Ding ding ding.

(They did give up the Chicago second rounder for next year's draft in the Melo deal, just for the record).

But classify those trades as "desperation moves" is pretty far-fetched.

Yeah, those were no-brainer deals. I don't see how anyone knock those trades as desperation moves. Personally, I think Presti had the best offseason of any GM.

so much for him jumping to LA

That was a non story. He pretty much said so in his presser a few days ago when he said he spent the summer enjoying new fatherhood and time with wife, and dabbling in fashion. But now that he was back in OKC, he'd address the contract situation. Two days later, he signed

[nickagneta]

OKC has always been so cheap when it came to team salary. They broke up the Harden, Westbrook, Durant trioca over money and yet are going to be paying tons of luxury tax money to have a Melo, George, Westbrook. Really surprised.

[Mean Gerald Green]

OKC has always been so cheap when it came to team salary. They broke up the Harden, Westbrook, Durant trioca over money and yet are going to be paying tons of luxury tax money to have a Melo, George, Westbrook. Really surprised.

It's mind-boggling mismanagement.

[RJ87]

OKC has always been so cheap when it came to team salary. They broke up the Harden, Westbrook, Durant trioca over money and yet are going to be paying tons of luxury tax money to have a Melo, George, Westbrook. Really surprised.

Hindsight is 20/20.

If they could have foreseen the salary cap jump or that Harden  was going to emerge as a perennial MVP candidate or that Ibaka was going to start declining so early, they likely extend Harden and trade Ibaka.

[CelticSooner]

Didn't think he would at least until after the season. This is huge for small market teams and huge for the state of Oklahoma. We'll see if they can keep Paul George next.

[SHAQATTACK]

wow....that just SANK the Lakers forum .    They were hoping to get Westbrook and PG .....which would land LeWhine.

Now there is a better chance PG may stay with OKC .....which means No Lebron if them dudes aren't signed IMO.

Oh ..can't wait to see Lakers forum.

[celticsclay]

So since KD left:


Durant - Fit in seamlessly with a historically great team that didn't really need him, dominated the playoffs, won a championship & Finals MVP, took a huge pay cut to help keep the team together, and created burner Instagram and Twitter accounts so he could argue with 11 year olds.


Westbrook - Took a million shots as a one man show, won MVP, lost in the first round, got his GM to make desperation trades to get one year rentals of P.G. and Melo, then signed a $200 million extension; will likely never win a title but will likely make substantially more money over his career than KD.

Seems about right.


I'm happy for OKC fans though.  These days it feels more and more rare for one player to stay with a team long term and to have that security as a fan to know your team will have a consistent core identity.

Agree with most of it, but desperation trades? They gave up their two worst contracts (or 2 of 3 if you're not keen on Adams) and I believe 0 draft picks, and might not even be on the hook for any salary after this year while having Bird rights for two elite players.

Ding ding ding.

(They did give up the Chicago second rounder for next year's draft in the Melo deal, just for the record).

But classify those trades as "desperation moves" is pretty far-fetched.

Yeah, those were no-brainer deals. I don't see how anyone knock those trades as desperation moves. Personally, I think Presti had the best offseason of any GM.

so much for him jumping to LA

That was a non story. He pretty much said so in his presser a few days ago when he said he spent the summer enjoying new fatherhood and time with wife, and dabbling in fashion. But now that he was back in OKC, he'd address the contract situation. Two days later, he signed

Yeah great deals for OKC. Not sure how they were desperation.

[Smartacus]

So since KD left:


Durant - Fit in seamlessly with a historically great team that didn't really need him, dominated the playoffs, won a championship & Finals MVP, took a huge pay cut to help keep the team together, and created burner Instagram and Twitter accounts so he could argue with 11 year olds.


Westbrook - Took a million shots as a one man show, won MVP, lost in the first round, got his GM to make desperation trades to get one year rentals of P.G. and Melo, then signed a $200 million extension; will likely never win a title but will likely make substantially more money over his career than KD.

Seems about right.


I'm happy for OKC fans though.  These days it feels more and more rare for one player to stay with a team long term and to have that security as a fan to know your team will have a consistent core identity.

Agree with most of it, but desperation trades? They gave up their two worst contracts (or 2 of 3 if you're not keen on Adams) and I believe 0 draft picks, and might not even be on the hook for any salary after this year while having Bird rights for two elite players.

Ding ding ding.

(They did give up the Chicago second rounder for next year's draft in the Melo deal, just for the record).

But classify those trades as "desperation moves" is pretty far-fetched.

Yeah, those were no-brainer deals. I don't see how anyone knock those trades as desperation moves. Personally, I think Presti had the best offseason of any GM.

so much for him jumping to LA

That was a non story. He pretty much said so in his presser a few days ago when he said he spent the summer enjoying new fatherhood and time with wife, and dabbling in fashion. But now that he was back in OKC, he'd address the contract situation. Two days later, he signed

Yeah great deals for OKC. Not sure how they were desperation.

I think they were the correct deals to make, that all happened to come from a position of desperation.

[Birdman]

Awesome!!!! Glad he is staying there

[GreenWarrior]

couldn't he still be traded?

[guava_wrench]

OKC has always been so cheap when it came to team salary. They broke up the Harden, Westbrook, Durant trioca over money and yet are going to be paying tons of luxury tax money to have a Melo, George, Westbrook. Really surprised.

Are we cheap trading AB and IT ahead of them reaching free agency? Teams decide which players they are going to give the big money to and try to get value for others.

OKC seems to have felt it was smarter to commit to Ibaka than to commit to Harden with KD and Westbrook on the team.

[nickagneta]

OKC has always been so cheap when it came to team salary. They broke up the Harden, Westbrook, Durant trioca over money and yet are going to be paying tons of luxury tax money to have a Melo, George, Westbrook. Really surprised.

Are we cheap trading AB and IT ahead of them reaching free agency? Teams decide which players they are going to give the big money to and try to get value for others.

OKC seems to have felt it was smarter to commit to Ibaka than to commit to Harden with KD and Westbrook on the team.

You see what's wrong with your statement, right? You're arguing that OKC isn't cheap and just decided to keep Ibaka over Harden but they could have kept both. Why didn't they? Answer: because they were cheap.