WOJ: BREAKING Westbrook to Houston for CP3 & Picks!!!

Russ isn’t an efficient scorer but he’s explosive, always running 100%, he will help on the glass, and he’s better than current CP (if only slightly but he’s definitely more durable). The dude averages triple doubles which can’t be ignored.

It’s a trade we have to make if we want to compete. There wasn’t much else we could do. It’s bold and I’m excited about it even though I was never the biggest Russ fan previously.

 

http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=27171834

Royce Young: Westbrook did not try to recruit George to stay.

Rockets were his preferred place. Heat were involved but Rockets were where he wanted to go. Thunder wanted to get him where he wanted to go. Right now I think they're intending to keep Chris Paul.

Windhorst: The night PG trade went down, they(Harden/Westbrook) got on the phone & started working on it. This is something they were trying to make happen.

Young: I think Westbrook is going to finally adjust. I don't you could see that evolution in OKC. It was too comfortable, too much his team, too much his style & the whole franchise had his identity. Now he's going somewhere else, to someone else's team. I think you'll see a better Westbrook. I don't know what that looks like but think you'll see him play differently.


Windhorst: I know it was reported Chris Paul wanted a trade a month ago. I don't think that's true.

MacMahon: He did not demand.

Windhorst: While I think he was interested in leaving & really interested in Miami, this bus was driven by James Harden.

MacMahon: He did not want a trade to Oklahoma City under these circumstances.

Windhorst: I did hear this story about the Warrior series. I don't know if it was Game 6 or whenever but they got into it on the court over a schematic thing (spacing issue). Chris was trying to post up and was too close to James & allowed too easy of a double team & Chris barked at James & James turned to him and said "With you it's always ****ing something."

MacMahon: No doubt James got tired of hearing Chris bark.



Windhorst: I guess Houston got off one of the most undesirable contracts in the league but they signed Paul last summer - not 3 years ago - and had to incentivize 2 firsts and 2 swaps to get the Thunder to take that contract.

MacMahon: No secret Tilman had buyer's remorse since pretty early in the season.

Young: Around the league, people wondered if the Thunder might have to attach one of their picks (to Westbrook). For the Thunder, they were trying to send him where he wanted. Westbrook wanted to be in Houston. Houston was motivated.

Windhorst: May have been motivated by Harden.

MacMahon: When the face of your franchise says get it done, you get it done.

Windhorst: In talks with Miami, Thunder wanted a couple assets in addition to salary they had to take on. It wasn't going to happen for Dragic & Olynyk. Heat have 3 young players people want. Heat are forbidden from trading other firsts unless they take protections off the picks they owe the Thunder. They literally cannot trade another first. So they had Tyler Herro, Justise Winslow & Bam Adebayo. Thunder wanted one, if not two of those for Westbrook. Heat were like "You send us a pick to take on this contract." That was an impasse. With Chris Paul, can he be traded to Miami? We just saw that they had to incentivize two firsts. I'd think Miami would want something in the same neighborhood.

Young: I don't know how motivated they'll be to move Chris Paul instantly. It's not a comparable situation to Westbrook. Yeah, he'll have a lot to say but I don't know they're like "Time to move Chris, where does he go?" They're in asset collection mode. I don't think they're like "Get rid of Chris, attach a pick." I don't think they're motivated to do anything like that. Has anyone taken a buyout with 3 years left?

Windhorst: I wouldn't take a buyout if I were him & I see people asking if they can stretch him. Absolutely not. No way.

Young: What about the Lakers in December?

Windhorst: Would depend on how they're doing. It would hamstring them. If they can get some picks back in taking him, that'd be interesting but I don't see the Thunder doing that. One other problem somewhat solved here: I don't think Westbrook & Donovan were on the same page. I'm not sure that was a marriage that was going to last too much longer.

MacMahon: It'll be interesting with Mike D'Antoni. I don't know how much he was consulted on this. As of now, he's entering the last year of his contract. The sense I got was D'Antoni felt the best path was moving forward with the same pieces.

Windhorst: Westbrook is a hard guy to coach. You need a lot of patience. I didn't like Westbrook playing with Butler. I really don't like Harden & Westbrook but I'll hold back & wait and watch.

MacMahon: I like it a lot better with them moving Paul than if they did Gordon/Capela/etc. At least it's position for position. You aren't gutting the pieces you know fit with Harden.

Young: Westbrook & Harden both are immensely motivated to make it work. Westbrook has more on the line to make it work than Harden. These are two players who have faced a lot of criticism & this is a chance to rewrite the narrative. The on court fit is what it is. We might see the first tug of war on a basketball court.

Windhorst: Both like to get the rebound & bring it up. ... What's next with Steven Adams?

Young: More likely than not to keep him. Don't think they view his contract as something they have to pull the plug on. They're going to get under the tax.

MacMahon: I was talking to someone the other day, for some reason I thought he was 28/29. He's 25. He can be part of this rebuilding.

Windhorst: Is it in his makeup to ask for a trade?

Young: I would believe it not to be. I don't think he would.

Windhorst: Where do we see the Rockets now in the hierarchy of the West?

MacMahon: I don't know that it moves the meter a whole bunch. I thought the Rockets were on a short list of contenders regardless. Clippers are the favorites. Lakers are up there. Rockets are in the mix with the Jazz, perhaps Nuggets, Bucks & Sixers. Rockets have a legitimate chance. They're probably a 3-4 seed in the West & see what happens in the playoffs.

Young: The overarching story is this is 2 players coming together that have done well in the regular season but failure in the postseason is what has written the book on them. I think they'll win a lot in the regular season. 4-5? 3-4? Westbrook is incredibly durable. He plays a lot of games. You can anticipate him playing 75 games. That'll help in the regular season. How do they perform in the postseason? I don't know that whatever their style becomes is something that translates to postseason success.

Windhorst: Felt they were 2nd best in the West last year & did not demonstrate that in the Warriors series. That was their chance. They let me down so so much. I can understand why they came in looking to shake things up. I'm not in love with the fit but there's more than one way to skin a cat. We'll see how it goes.

 

Didn't Morey deny them an interview?

 

does this help the rockets free agent chances moving forward since russ is well liked by players (for some odd reason)?

 

Well we had a problem with rebounding last year...

 

Just thinking out loud here: Has KD already signed that new contract?

#RunItBackV2.0

 

I love that we get to keep our roster intact. Any protections on the picks?

 

The Thunder are in a nice position- they could contend for the playoffs and use their assets to nab somebody like Beal, or be patient and extract more value from moving Chris Paul next year.

 

There was an amazing post somewhere between pages 13 and 23. Worth checking out....

 

Yeah, you cant really use all those picks so they will be trade chips. The question is whether you go young rebuild or try to stay competitive.

 

I’ve been on board with this. This is a good move. 2 legit stars. They will figure it out. #runitback was NEVER going to work. Don’t fool yourselves.

 

Sacramento

 

I’m sorry but that MVP wasn’t deserved. Russ had no help that year, his stats were inflated because he chased teammates off the boards. He ball dominated so of course his scoring and assists remained in the double digits. Did he single-handedly win games that season? Absolutely. But that was not a legit team. He provided no value to any semblance of a competent playoff team.He can’t help who his supporting cast was, but he put up empty stats.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Russ is a phenomenal basketball talent. But he is a net negative as an NBA player.

 

For those of you hating this trade, think of it this way: in the ABSOLUTELY worst case, ie, Westbrook doesn’t work out, he’s a much much better trade chip. We can easily flip him for multiple 1st rounders to a team hungry for star power, whereas we have to attach firsts to rid CP3.

 

Yeah, I don’t think so. If he doesn’t work out, he’s going to be seen as toxic. And owed $47 freakin million in 2023.

 

Ouch, not terrible pick protections but we did end stealing both their superstar guards.

 

Holy sh*t!

I just got home from dinner and a movie, and was gonna casually check Clutchfans for some bedtime banter and then this BOMB!

My thoughts and prayers go out to @DreamShook. Don't know how he's processing all this.

I am shell shocked right now, don't even know how to react to Westbrook in a Rockets' uniform. I'm just gonna sleep on it for now.

Thank you and hats off to Chris Paul for being a great leader and consummate professional during his tenure in Houston. Good luck my dear Point God!

 

Not sure if this has been posted yet: