Imagine waking up one morning, turning on the TV and seeing the news that a couple reunited right under your nose, and you didn’t see it coming. I have a strange feeling this will be Sam Presti come next July. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant may have pulled the ultimate “watch this” move in NBA history.
Think I’m crazy, pay attention.
Throughout their history together the media has tried to draw a line in the sand and have each player on opposite sides but as far as we know neither player has given in. Both have gone on record as saying they have a great relationship and love to play with one another but the 2016 NBA Free Agency period may say otherwise. But not if you can read between the lines.
Durant left because he wanted to win a championship and felt the Thunder was not the team he would get a chance to do it with. Did he hate leaving Westbrook behind, yes, but he had to do what’s best for him and his career at the moment. Why not join a super team, a team that just won 73 games, the same team that you let come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals? If you can’t beat them, join them, right? Durant will take his talents to Golden State but, here is the beauty of it all. He signed a 2-year deal but the second year is an option, meaning he will be a free agent next season and guess who will be one too.
Westbrook has told the Thunder he will not sign an extension this year and why should he? Can he honestly say the Thunder has his best interest at heart? Remember what they did with Jeff Green, James Harden, Serge Ibaka, then Durant and Westbrook is supposed to put all his cards on the table for them? He did right but may have spoken too soon. Once he said no extension, the Thunder started looking for trade partners for Westbrook, but Westbrook has now said he would like to stay. Is he crazy, no, very smart and this might be all a part of their plan?
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Westbrook is an emotional guy, you can see it on the court, while KD seems to be a bit more reserved. I can see Durant calling Westbrook and telling him to relax, play the season out, get your MVP they robbed you of the last two seasons and bounce, but if they trade you, the new team will want you to sign an extension, then the plan is screwed. What if Westbrook is sent to Minnesota or Boston, a team with no flexible cash for next season, meaning they can’t afford to sign Durant then all they planned for is shot. Durant was right to call Westbrook and advise him to relax; he almost blew it.
To some this may seem way off base but if you sit and think, think about LeBron James leaving Cleveland and then going back, Dwyane Wade leaving Miami and going home to Chicago, just proves anything is possible. This plan was so well thought out that if it works everyone is happy. Westbrook will get his well deserved MVP, Durant his championship, and then both will get paid like kings, all the while laughing in the face of Presti, who destroyed what would’ve been a dynasty.
The only question is, where will they go? That’s easy, all they need is a team with a big man, no PG or SF, money to spend, a big market and young talent. Seems like a lot until you look at what the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers have done to their roster. Hmm.
Psst…do you think the 3-1 meltdown was part of the plan too?