The Oklahoma City Thunder could finally be ready to hand out Russell Westbrook, who would reportedly heavily think about an extension with the team after weighing "every angle before doing it."
ESPN's Royce Young claimed that following Dion Waiters' decision to sign with the Miami Heat, the Thunder have "opened the option" in offering Westbrook a "maximum level extension" to keep the 28-year-old point guard in OKC.
According to Young, while the Thunder have rescinded Waiters' $6.8 million qualifying offer, the team did not renounce him, which means OKC gets to keep his Bird Rights, setting a $12.8 million cap hold on their books.
Once Waiters sign with the Heat, the cap hold will come off, putting the Thunder more than $14 million under the salary cap, which is more than enough to sign Westbrook for a maximum extension.
"The Thunder can renegotiate Westbrook's contract up, starting him on a four-year, maximum level deal this season," Young added.
"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."
In a separate report, Young also noted that Westbrook "will think heavily about an extension" with the Thunder, although it would only be considered once the All-Star point guard weigh every angle.
However, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical believes Westbrook won't renegotiate his contract with the Thunder and forego free agency in 2017. David Aldridge also claimed a few weeks ago that "there's no chance" Westbrook would up his contract with the Thunder.
There is a growing sense that the Thunder would attempt to deal Westbrook if he is unwilling to renegotiate, but interestingly, there is also a report coming from Young that Westbrook does not want the Thunder to trade him this offseason.
"Westbrook wants to play this coming season with the Thunder but he is unsure about his future beyond that in 2017 when he becomes a free agent," Young wrote, reports Real GM.
Surely, this would give the Thunder a chance to convince Westbrook to remain in Oklahoma, but trading him seems imminent if no signing of a contract extension takes place in the foreseeable future.