Kevin Durant says it’s not a good time to send a congratulatory text to former teammate Russell Westbrook on his new three-year, $85 million deal with OKC.
Durant on whether he'll contact Westbrook to offer congrats: "Nah, that's a touchy subject. I'll see once everything dies down." #Rio2016
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) August 4, 2016
I ain't gonna join the enemy
I'm here to compete pic.twitter.com/2Elu93b4P5— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) August 4, 2016
Durant said Russ wasn’t a factor in his League-altering free agency decision this summer, which likely didn’t sit well with the All-Star point guard.
From the Thunder’s press release:
“I am grateful to extend my contract with the Thunder and continue to play with the only organization that I have played for and have loved being a part of since I was drafted into the NBA,” said Westbrook. “I’m really excited about moving forward with this group of guys and continuing to play in front of the best fans in the world.”
This past season Westbrook appeared in 80 games (all starts) and averaged 23.5 points (eighth in the NBA), 10.4 assists (second in the NBA), 7.8 rebounds and 2.04 steals (fifth in the NBA) in 34.4 minutes to become just the second player in NBA history (Oscar Robertson) to average at least 23 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for a single season.
During the 2015-16 season, Westbrook recorded 18 triple-doubles, equaling the most in the NBA since Magic Johnson accomplished the feat during the 1981-82 season. Westbrook also notched seven triple-doubles in March, the most by an NBA player in a calendar month since Michael Jordan in April of 1989. […] “Russell has been an outstanding leader of this team since he was drafted by our organization eight years ago. His competitiveness, character, and unique athletic ability have propelled him to the forefront of the game,” said (GM Sam) Presti. “Russell personifies many of the traits that are synonymous with Oklahoma and Oklahomans. We are excited that Russell has chosen to continue to build the legacy of the Thunder with us as we move forward together.”
