Subscribe
Follow Us
Russell Westbrook sees no complication in his situation. Out of all the players who have been asked about Kevin Durant leaving Oklahoma City for Golden State, Westbrook is the one with the shortest answers and the calmest demeanor.
The 6-foot-3 guard, now the face of his franchise, gave some candid answers about the situation to GQ Magazine in one of his most direct responses to his former running mate's sudden departure:
“I mean, obviously in the NBA there's a lot of different decisions that people make,” Westbrook said of Durant. “The whole thing in the NBA is that people sometimes have an opportunity to go where they want. And Kevin chose a place where he wanted to go.”
When asked if the two have talked much since his departure, the answer was very succinct.
Article Continues Below“Uhh, not much, no,” he said.
Westbrook was shortly presented with the opportunity to be the face of the franchise, the very thing the media thought he was trying to achieve during his time with Durant. The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the leading candidates to land the Long Beach native.
“But it wasn't like that at all for me. There was no process. It was just very simple,” Westbrook said. “I wasn't trying to figure out if I was leaving or not. I was happy where — I am happy where — I'm at. It's very simple.”
A three-year, $85 million contract extension with the Thunder was simple enough for Westbrook, making him the league's second-highest paid player tied with Durant and others and only behind LeBron James.
The addition of Victor Oladipo now makes him the elder statesman on a very young Thunder team that will go as far as Westbrook can take them — but time will only tell if he remains happy with his decision.
