Kevin Durant is gone and Russell Westbrook is set to be a free agent next summer. Losing a second superstar would be a complete catastrophe for the Oklahoma City Thunder. What on Earth should Sam Presti's front office do?
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Oklahoma City is thinking about trying to renegotiate and extend Westbrook's contract so he doesn't hit the market. If that's not possible, the Thunder might have to consider the possibility of trading him. There is little financial incentive for Westbrook to bypass free agency, though, and NBA.com's David Aldridge reported that there is no chance he will do so.
The renegotiate-and-extend plan would require the 27-year-old Westbrook to effectively give OKC a discount and sacrifice his ability to explore other opportunities until the tail end of his prime. It would have been great for the Thunder, but it was always unrealistic.
After losing Durant, watching Westbrook play for another team cannot be an appealing idea for Oklahoma City. He's a legitimate franchise player in his own right, and Presti has surrounded him with capable scorers and defenders. The No. 1 option must be building around Westbrook. The Thunder have to make a calculation now, though: How realistic is that option, and how likely is he to leave?
If Oklahoma City isn't sure that Westbrook wants to stay, then it owes itself to at least explore the trade market and take calls about him. If it has an inkling that Westbrook is already thinking of leaving, then it should be proactive and try to find deals that will bring back players and/or picks that have the potential to turn into stars. It's extremely rare to be talking about a full rebuild for a team that was one win away from the NBA Finals, but this is where the Thunder are.
