The San Antonio Spurs are reportedly throwing their hat in the Russell Westbrook sweepstakes but the price may be too steep.
In a report from SB Nation site Pounding The Rock, the Spurs have apparently had talks with the Oklahoma City Thunder regarding the triple-double machine.
"There are whispers that Presti has contacted the Spurs about moving the point guard down south that we and others have heard," the report stated. "Don't get too excited though, Spurs fans, because the asking price was reportedly Kawhi Leonard. Now we move from the rumor mill to the part where we make educated guesses."
It was clearly stated that the Spurs will not trade Kawhi Leonard, even for Russell Westbrook. Leonard is the focal point of the team's defense, which is the primary reason for their success. Kawhi has also become a mean offensive player himself and is now a legitimate MVP candidate, a top 5 player like Russ.
At this point, Presti can still swing for the fences and ask for the moon for his prized point guard. However, as the situation drags on, the Thunder will lose leverage and there is speculation that the asking price could go down.
Perhaps Westbrook could be had for other pieces that the Spurs could offer. Is there a possibility that San Antonio wants to move on from their point guard Tony Parker?
Parker has been with the team for fifteen years and he's now 34 years old. If the Spurs trade him, he would not be enough in return for Westbrook but it is assumed that the Thunder would ask for him since he's equipped to cover the position.
Are the Spurs moving on from Parker? Not exactly. The Frenchman still brings a lot to the table as a video analysis from Dane Carbaugh pointed out.
The Spurs still rely on Parker to dictate their offensive rhythm, highlighted by his assists to LaMarcus Aldridge who will now take the full reins of the offense after Tim Duncan retired.
Parker also has a high defensive rating. Even as his effort does not always translate into steals for himself, it has played a part to propel San Antonio to the top of the league in deflections.
Will the Spurs trade Parker? Not unless someone like Westbrook is on the table. The Spurs will not just dump the Frenchman considering how much he is a part of their history (see Tim Duncan).