The Oklahoma City Thunder scored a major victory when they convinced Russell Westbrook to renegotiate and extend his contract.
It was a win-win for both sides, at least for now. While the Thunder will not exactly become a better team, they will not be thrust in full panic/rebuild mode with the threat of Russell Westbrook's departure hanging over the heads. It would have been worse than last season with Durant's free agency looming-the Thunder was favored to keep KD, no one believes they could retain Westbrook if he did not renegotiate.
Thunder GM Sam Presti should be commended for salvaging a catastrophic situation. At the very least, the Thunder, if Westbrook really wanted to leave, would get fair value in a trade and not get lowball offer.
For Westbrook, it's all about the money. The renegotiation makes him a max player now, not next season. Considering he's favored to win the MVP, he deserves to be a max player anyway. He'll also have a player option on his tenth year, when he could get the huge money as a ten-year veteran.
But Presti's job is far from over. The Thunder, at best, is a sixth seed in the West. He should try to strengthen the team to make sure Westbrook doesn't leave in 2018.
A Western rival could help them out. A team that's also on the crossroads, the LA Clippers. As Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders pointed out, Blake Griffin's "no trade" situation could change later in the season.
He points out that Griffin and Chris Paul are both frustrated at how the team could not make it even to the Conference Finals. Both could become free agents, and the onus for Paul to win is heavier because of his age.
"If the Western Conference turns out to be the one-team show many are expecting with Kevin Durant now part of the Warriors, is it such a huge stretch to believe one or both Clippers consider life in the Eastern Conference? If so, at some point do the Clippers consider their options?"
Those are big "ifs" but most observers can see it on the horizon. Griffin will be on the same boat as Westbrook was before he signed the extension-teams would be willing to trade for him but they want an assurance that he would stay.
The Thunder could be a candidate because Griffin has Oklahoma home ties, and of course, Westbrook is better than any teammate Blake has had.
In Sports Illustrated team blog Thunderous Intentions, Tony Heim hinted that Sam Presti might be cooking up a trade along these lines.
The Thunder would send Enes Kanter, Anthony Morrow and rookie Domantas Sabonis, and possibly another draft pick.
The Clippers would add depth at every position in this scenario. They lose a superstar that some argued was not a good fit, rationalized by the winning record the Clippers had when Griffin was out of commission last season. If they fail to keep Paul, they still have pieces to mount a rebuild.
The Thunder could have two superstars again and eventually add a key piece down the line, possibly be contenders again if the plan works.