Rocket fuel! Russell to Hou
Westbrook teams up with Harden in deal for Paul
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets have agreed to a trade, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Russell Westbrook will be reuniting with James Harden in Houston, while Chris Paul will join a Thunder team that is currently in flux following Paul George’s departure to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Along with Paul, the Thunder will reportedly receive two first-round draft picks from the Rockets in 2024 and 2026, and the two teams will swap picks in 2021 and 2025.
Westbrook and Harden were Thunder teammates, part of a team along with Kevin Durant that went to the 2012 NBA Finals and lost to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.
The trade is part of a massive shake up by Oklahoma City, which traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers and now sends Westbrook — its franchise player — to another West rival while adding to an enormous stockpiling of draft picks. The Thunder got five first-rounders in the trade with the Clippers for George.
The move splits up the pairing of Paul and Harden in Houston, a team with title aspirations, but Westbrook is now reunited with Harden following the most improbable series of events.
When Paul George suddenly requested a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers, GM Sam Presti and the Thunder entered an immediate rebuild despite finishing as the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference just last season.
Following George’s move to the Clippers, Westbrook and his agent Thad Foucher reportedly sat down with Presti, and began discussing possible trade options.
While Miami and Detroit were thought to be possible destinations, the Thunder could not come to terms with either team, leading Westbrook to join the bearded MVP in Houston.
While Presti may have made one star happy in sending Westbrook to a contender, he likely acquired another miserable star in the process.
Paul, who was said to be unhappy playing with Harden in Houston, is now 34 years old and still in the hunt for his first NBA title. Heading to a Thunder team that currently boasts Steven Adams, Danilo Gallinari and Dennis Schroeder as its other marquee talents, the Thunder will likely not challenge for the Larry O.B. trophy.
With that in mind, it is possible that the Thunder will not be Paul’s final destination this off-season, and could still be dealt elsewhere. But first he needs to find a team who can handle his contract, which has three years and $124 million remaining on it.
According to Wojnarowski, Houston was trying to find a third team suitable for Paul that it could bring into the trade, but was not able to make it work. The Miami Heat, previously a suitor for Westbrook, is rumored to now be interested in Paul according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. It would just come down to the Thunder being willing to make the deal happen.
Wherever Paul ends up, one thing is certain: This October, the NBA is going to a wholel lot different this season.