Now that Kevin Durant is officially gone from the Thunder, there is growing speculation that Russell Westbrook is also on the way out. Westbrook will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, but some insiders believe that Oklahoma City will move the superstar point guard instead of facing the possibility of being left empty-handed this time next year.
Bleacher Report‘s Howard Beck claims that GMs around the NBA believe that Russ does not intend to stay in OKC. Based on the Thunder’s history of trading players like Serge Ibaka, James Harden, and Reggie Jackson, Beck also thinks that it would not come as a surprise to anyone around the League if GM Sam Presti pulls the trigger on a Westbrook trade before the season begins.
More from Beck:
“Let’s just say there’s a very strong suspicion, a strong belief among rival GMs that Russell Westbrook is not intending to stay, that he would leave next summer when he hits free agency,” Beck said. “And because of that, the logical next step is that (Thunder GM) Sam Presti — who is always ahead of the curve on these things — will look to trade him. I don’t know that that’s happening right this moment.
“What I’m hearing here in Las Vegas from some GMs is that not only do they think Westbrook will get traded, that it’ll be sooner rather than later, probably before the season starts,” Beck said. “And that the most likely destination right now would be the Boston Celtics.”
