After 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, it is looking like Russell Westbrook will be traded before the start of the season. Russell Westbrook is most likely wanting to be traded as the Thunder has traded away Paul George to the Clippers. Russell Westbrook has played with many pieces who have come and gone, guys like James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Kevin Durant, Victor Oladipo, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, and so many others and they have just not been able to bring a title to Oklahoma City. After losing in the first round the last three years in a row, The Thunder are looking to now part ways with him.

It’s kind of a bummer to see this happen, a guy who loved playing in Oklahoma City and was probably destined to retire as a member of the Thunder. But if you think about it, Westbrook is not really a team player, and it is hard to win a title who is a selfish player, so I don’t blame the Thunder wanting to part ways. I mean look at it, the guy would put up huge stats averaging a triple double, but his team would not get past the first round. He had the teammates to compete for a title when Kevin Durant, guys like Victor Oladipo, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, Steven Adams, Dennis Schroder, without a doubt he could’ve had a chance to win the title. But he was a stat padder for his team, and was more concerned about getting a triple double every night than winning an NBA Championship. He won an NBA MVP with the Thunder after Durant left, but he was not able to bring home the title as Kevin Durant brought two title with the Warriors.

So this could mean that either the Thunder could possibly be looking at bringing in a new star instead of Westbrook, or a whole new rebuild. It most likely looks like it is the start of a rebuild. The Thunder were not off to a bad start in the rebuild though, they got Danilo Gallinari, a solid shooter for the team, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a point guard coming off a solid rookie season, and FIVE first round draft picks…..FIVE….that is insane. With Westbrook now on the market, you could look to see the Thunder looking to get a good package deal again, but where are the places you could Russell Westbrook being moved to? I got three teams that could be making a move at Westbrook.

The Miami Heat

Russell Westbrook has mention that he is interested in possibly going to Miami to team up with the Heat’s new acquisition, Jimmy Butler. These guys I could see definitely teaming up as they both have same type of mindsets on the same team. What I mean by that is they care about themselves more than winning an NBA Title, but they would want to play with each other to see how far they could possibly go in the East. If the Thunder make the trade, you could see guys like maybe Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk, Tyler Johnson, and draft picks could be moved in this deal. If this trade were to happen the Heat would have a decent one- two punch, but I don’t see them at all winning a title together. Just one, not enough talent on the team, and two, too selfish of players to play for a title. They would be a much better team than last year though.

Houston Rockets

Can you imagine this? Russell Westbrook and James Harden, Two MVP’s, both on the same team again? That would be a crazy duo to have for a team, and you never know it might be possible for it to happen. The Rockets would probably need a third team to join on this trade, but it might be able to happen. The Rockets would have to give up some key players like Chris Paul, Clint Capella, Eric Gordon, or P.J. Tucker in this deal, but to repair Westbrook or Harden back together again, would be absolutely crazy. I think that they have that chemistry that could blend well together on the court and this could be the guys that would bring Houston an NBA Championship. It might not be able to happen, but you never know. We never expected D’Angelo Russell to go to the Warriors or Kawhi to pick the Clippers over the Lakers. We will have to wait and see!

The Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota could use another star back on their team after losing Jimmy Butler after one season, Russell Westbrook could be that guy. Minnesota made the playoffs for the first since the KG era before they traded away Jimmy Butler, but when he left the Timberwolves were back to a lottery team. They need Russell Westbrook more than anything if they want to be a competitor in the Western Conference again. If they were to do this deal, I would most likely see Andrew Wiggins and Robert Covington. Wiggins who has a huge contract and hasn’t been the player that he was expected to be and Covington has the contract to finish off the trade deal. Russell Westbrook and Karl Anthony-Towns could be an ok one-two punch, but they would have some work to to be a tough team.

I am sure that a deal for Russell Westbrook could be happening soon as the Thunder will be looking to continue to rebuild this team, but just to think. If the Thunder didn’t trade away James Harden after the 2012 NBA Finals, or didn’t blow a 3-1 lead in the Conference Finals and lose Kevin Durant could they have won many NBA Titles?

These guys were the future of the franchise, these guys made the NBA Finals so young in their early careers, they were a team that could’ve won many NBA titles. People remember the Warriors as the NBA Dynasty, but I think that this could’ve been the Thunder’s dynasty. These guys would’ve definitely beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals and could’ve been one of the best teams in the NBA I think. But the Thunder traded away James Harden after not agreeing to a contract extension, and the Thunder lost Kevin Durant who signed with the team that beat them in the Western Conference Finals after being up 3-1.

Three NBA MVP’s were all on the same, and now they are most likely all gone by the start of the season.

The Thunder are now left with the question……

“What if?””

By the way I love how the Celtics are playing in the Summer League, Carsen Edwards can ball it up, and The Celtics NEED to get Tacko Falls on the roster, He has some work to do, but the guy is 7’6 and a great rim protector, this guy would be a great pickup for the Celtics!

Go Celtics!

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