A lot of rumors about the impending tight spot the OKC Thunders will be in once Russell Westbrook becomes a free agent by 2017 during summer.
According to the Inquisitr, Russell Westbrook is considered to be one of the top five NBA players as of now, and as such he will become a much sought-after player if he decides not to sign an extension contract with the OKC this offseason. After all, according to an official Twitter Post by David Aldridge, Westbrook will not sign a contract extension, due to the fact that the NBA salary cap will once again rise next summer. If he will sign a deal now, he will certainly lose a lot of money.
Furthermore, about a week ago Brian Windhorst from ESPN reported that should Westbrook stay adamant in his decision, the OKC Thunders will certainly be forced to trade him in hopes of getting a good replacement. Of course, while this team can decide to hold on to him just in case he changes his mind, OKC will take a big risk since they won't get anything in return should he choose to go for another team.
However, it's not the first time for Sam Presti, OKC general manager, to be put in this tight spot. In 2012, Presti decided to trade off James Harden to the Houston Rockets after failed negotations for a long-term deal. This decision has yielded the Thunders Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and two first-round picks.
During this period, Harden has just won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. OKC got a fair return from him, despite the fact that he is not that popular back then compared to now. If they choose to trade Westbrook, this team should consider a deal that include NBA starters as well as multiple draft picks to ensure that his value as a top player in NBA pays off.
