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Having made key acquisitions throughout this shortened offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder have done everything in their power to please their Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook in hopes he signs a contract extension prior to the Oct. 16 deadline.
The offer has been on the table since the start of the free agency period and could make Westbrook the richest-salaried athlete in American sports.
During Monday's media day, the All-Star point guard gave an inclination that he would sign the extension prior to the deadline.
“Man it’s been a long, long summer,” said Westbrook, according to ESPN's Royce Young. “Had a baby. Been working on a little fatherhood. But like I said, this is a place I want to be.”
The 6-foot-3 dynamo chalked not signing the extension to being busy during the summer (we're buying that, right?), but offered his appreciation for the franchise making moves to keep them competent in the ever-growing talent pool of this Western Conference.
The Thunder added Paul George prior to the start of free agency and most-recently Carmelo Anthony in a shocking last-minute trade for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a second-round pick.
Kanter, who was there for the New York Knicks' Media Day, thinks his now-former teammate will sign the extension, noting that it's his legacy on the line.
“I feel like he's gonna re-sign with (OKC)… That's his legacy,” said Kanter, according to Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders.
Westbrook has less than a month to commit to the Thunder long-term, if Oct. 16 passes without his John Hancock on the max offer sheet, the organization will once again be where they were in the summer of 2016, risking losing him and forward Paul George for nothing in free agency.
