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Paul George felt the cracks in the floor upon a second disappointing playoff exit in the first round of the NBA playoffs, concerned about the unstable Oklahoma City Thunder roster and the possibility that it could soon blow up after falling short two years in a row with the pairing of him and Russell Westbrook.
According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the MVP candidate feared that some roster pieces could go, including Westbrook, the longtime franchise player:
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In the span of the next year, the Thunder lost in the first round of the playoffs again, this time to Portland. George and Westbrook were upset, but not with each other. In a way, though, George’s trade request did have something to do with Westbrook, sources said. He was concerned with a perceived “instability” on the roster, including worries that perhaps even Westbrook could be traded.
If Westbrook trade rumors swirled, they were as silent as the San Antonio Spurs' front office, because there wasn't any air of that possibility going around after a playoff exit. Most critics believed the Thunder suffered from not having enough shooting around them, and that bolstering that department could finally get them off their rut.
Yet George was the first player going through that door, expressing his displeasure and soon requesting a trade, which only took days to develop. Westbrook would follow six days later, putting an end to this Thunder era in less than a week.
