For the second time this offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder sent shockwaves around NBA circles pulling off a blockbuster trade to acquire another All-Star.
After landing Paul George from the Indiana Pacers earlier this summer, the Thunder traded Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a second-round pick to the New York Knicks for Carmelo Anthony Saturday.
Now, the Thunder finally have a legitimate Big 3 again in George, Anthony and reining MVP Russell Westbrook. What a summer for a franchise with so many questions looming about its future.
That No. 1 question is Westbrook's future. A huge decision is ahead for Westbrook as he has been eligible to sign a supermax extension this summer, one that would net him north of $200 million, but he has yet to do so while other stars like James Harden and Stephen Curry inked their deals relatively quickly.
This has left any honest Thunder fan a bit concerned. After losing Kevin Durant last summer, the last hope has been keeping Westbrook long-term. The usual narrative around OKC makes that sound like a long shot.
But Westbrook may be different, and these two trades may prove exactly what he's been telling the OKC organization, as suggested by Thunder beat writer Royce Young of ESPN.
The Thunder aren't making the moves they made this summer without a strong belief Russell Westbrook is committed for the long term.
This has to be the case, right?
It still would be logical to risk it all for a shot at pleasing Westbrook by giving him George and Anthony this season, but the Thunder have never operated as an organization that takes risks this way. This is the franchise that traded away James Harden because it didn't want to lose him for nothing. It's always calculated for general manager Sam Presti.
So Presti isn't just pulling the trigger on these moves haphazardly. It'd kill him to imagine the new Thunder Big 3 all walking for nothing when they hit their respective free agencies in the near future. That's why you have to assume Presti has gotten some reassurance from Westbrook about a long-term commitment.
It also needs to be considered that Westbrook doesn't necessarily operate like every other NBA star. By all accounts, he loves the situation in OKC, how loved he is (especially now) by the city, his role where he gets to be the unquestioned general of the Thunder army, and he legitimately seems like a guy who wants to pay it back to OKC for the loyalty it's showed him.
And what more could Russ have asked for this summer? In a year's time since losing Durant the franchise delivers him George and Anthony, neither Durant's equal but together, perhaps a fit Westbrook enjoys more — Russ remains the clear-cut alpha while still being surrounded by star wing talents that can score on their own when the time is right. You can't script it much better for OKC than this.
Thunder fans are surely ecstatic about these two trades for George and Anthony, but maybe some remain worried about a future that may not include Russ. That worry is most likely overblown. These moves were made with a strong belief that Westbrook is here for the long haul. And that long haul may be brighter than anyone could have imagined back on July 4, 2016.
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