Russell Westbrook (Photo : Stephen Dunn / Getty Images Sport)
The Oklahoma City Thunder still reeling from the Kevin Durant decision.
Durant is not just a player for Oklahoma City, he is already their hometown hero. The people have invested too much on KD and the player has been more than a model citizen to their city. Still, he chose to go.
Probably the best way to accept the loss is to admit that this is the end of an era. For nine years since the franchise got Durant (actually in Seattle) they have built a competitive team adding Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and James Harden. Eventually those two additions have been traded away and now, only Westbrook remains.
There are many observers who quickly concluded that Russell Westbrook should be traded. The Thunder made its litmus test when they offered a contract extension and Westbrook refused. This is as good a sign as any for them that he could leave and Adi Joseph of Sporting News suggested a trade.
"Russell Westbrook needs to go next. The Thunder can't let him walk away next offseason as a free agent like they did with Durant. The situations are very different, of course; Oklahoma City had plenty of reason to think Durant would return, especially after an impressive postseason run. The Thunder have no reason to think Westbrook would stay."
On this light, ESPN Insider debated on the best possible trade that the Thunder could get. David Thorpe suggested trading to the Lakers.
The Lakers send Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell (it's steep but a top five player would demand this return) Nick Young and Lou Williams.
In return, the Thunder will send Westbrook and Steven Adams.
This is a slight variation from the initial trade suggestion of sending Ingram, Russell and a first round pick for Westbrook only (details of that here) which many Lakers fans objected to.
Despite Westbrook's talent, he is a flight risk and many teams would think twice to send real assets for him so the Lakers need to get something in return. Adams is the best piece and sending off Nick Young and Lou Williams would also be beneficial for them.
For the Thunder, they need to start over and build like they did nine years ago but getting Ingram, Russell and Randle fast tracks that. GM Sam Presti is one of the best at building a team and they will also have Victor Oladipo from the Ibaka trade.
Tom Haberstroh also agreed with Thorpe's deal: "I think the best deal involves the Lakers for Russell and Ingram, as David Thorpe outlined above."
