Russell Westbrook preferred the Rockets over the Heat and Pistons - Ramona Shelburne | The Jump

There was another giant trade in the NBA on Thursday, this time the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Russell Westbrook to Houston for Chris Paul and future first-round picks in 2024 and 2026 and pick swaps at 21 and 25. This, of course, comes It comes on the heels of the trade of MVP finalist Paul George to the Clippers last week and puts the Thunder into a long rebuilding phase after a decade of winning nearly two-thirds of their games in Oklahoma City. It marked the end of an era, a dynasty that never existed and is. A sad day in Oklahoma City and also for small market franchises that saw the Thunder as a ray of hope.

The Thunder selected three future MVPs in three consecutive years and earned a Finals appearance. That hurts, but it's actually a spot the Thunder have. It's been before seeing this streak start in 2007 with Sam Presti trading Ray Allen, then drafting Durant Westbrook and Harden in consecutive years and that obviously worked, although Harden and Durant eventually needed to go elsewhere to flourish, Harden unlocked his game in Houston and the Rockets have certainly become his team playing in his image. Now we can revisit the pairing with Westbrook as they both continue to chase that ring. At first glance, it might seem like an odd couple gets stronger from the shooters around them.

Westbrook is an inferior. average shooter coming off the worst shooting year of his career, but according to sources, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey believes Westbrook's shooting will improve because he's never had so many guys who can shoot and space the floor for him, but above all, Moria believes that his partner will do it. job because it's what Westbrook Ronit When Westbrook agreed to a five-year, $205 million extension with him two years ago, the Thunder told him that if they ever didn't have the kind of team around him that would allow him to compete, they would trade him. .

According to sources, and throughout those trade negotiations, general manager Sam Presti worked with West Rick's agent, Thad Fouchet, to put together a team he

preferred

, the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat also had significant interest and, of course, Somehow, more attractive packages, but Russ

preferred

Houston and that's how it is. where he was traded I'd like to welcome an NBA writer and lifelong resident of Oklahoma City where he's young for the joke Royce Howard Thunder fans handling this Russell trade news it's been a strange day Ramona in Oklahoma City I think for a long time For people, there's kind of a balance between understanding the reality of the situation after Paul George was traded and it was like you know watching your son go off to college and understanding it had to come to this. at some point, but at the same time. to the same point, there's this romantic element right where everyone wanted to see Russell Westbrook spend his entire career in Oklahoma City and a lot of people have compared Westbrook throughout his career to Kobe Bryant and there was the same kind of feeling, it was like forget if he's bad in recent years forget if the team is terrible and everything is built around Westbrook and it's not good for the future do the right thing by him keep him in Oklahoma City if you force him to wear that jersey for his entire career, but This was really like if you said Ramona, this was a two-way thing, he was adapting to what Westbrook wanted and also Westbrook was doing what was best for his personal career, so it's been a strange day in Oklahoma City, a lot of people don't know how do it. handle it, great reporter here in Oklahoma City.

I know my wife Carrie, she was great downtown at a splash spot and she told me a lot of people were going to the Thunder store and buying all the Westbrook t-shirts there, it was packed. She said everyone comes out, we are wearing Westbrook t-shirts because they are buying them all, they are hot and they will wear that t-shirt with pride. I think in Oklahoma City, thanks for watching ESPN on YouTube for more sports highlights. and analysis, be sure to download the ESPN app and to stream live sports and premium content subscribe to ESPN Plus