Trade: [HOU/OKC] Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul and picks

[Suiteness]

ORLY?
Westbrook now wants to stand around while Harden dribbles until there's 4 seconds left on the shot clock before chucking it?

 

[robertmac43]

It's going to be strange seeing the beard and Westbrook on the same team. Since they had that competing year for MVP I have always pictured them as rivals in my head, even though it as never really a thing

 

[HisIceness]

Perfect

 

[Avs_19]

 

[Reality Check]

Westbrook gets such a bad rep and if Detroit were in a better situation I would have tried trading for him. As they currently stand, no way jose.

I really don't see this as a huge upgrade for Houston either. As long as D'Antoni is there, that is.

 

[serp]

Westbrook as a player is a big upgrade over Paul, and he fits into their double iso system quite well. Contracts are equally bad. This is a win for Houston, and OKC depending on how they can get out of the Paul deal.

But man, LAL, LAC, Portland, Denver, Utah, Houston, GS (they’ll still have Curry, Thompson and Draymond for the playoffs)... West is going to be a dogfight. No load management for Kawhi or LeBron.

Houston was very reliant on 3 point shooting though and if Westbrook is awful at one thing its shooting threes well at least he's bad at making them. He does shoot a ton of them just misses too many. Russell Westbrook is the second worst high volume three point shooter in NBA history ( worst is Charles Barkley ) . His career three point percentage is .308 and he's been taking ~6 per game the last couple of seasons. Last season he actually shot less than 30% on threes and still took 5.6 per game. Thats just horrible. D'Antoni better find a way that Westbrook stops shooting so much from downtown because he's bad at it.

 

[Reality Check]

Kawhi broke the NBA.

He even broke the team he just won a championship with.

 

[Fighter]

This is it for the OKC "big three" story. What ifs will never be enough for the Thunders...

Yeah, I love Russ but damn, two ball hogs on one team, can't see them succeeding much together. Paul got shipped out like an unwanted piece of trash, what's up with that?

 

[Voight]

Dragic, J. Johnson, and Waiters for CP3 and both of Miami's 1st rounders OKC currently owns.

That wouldn't be too bad given the two Miami picks land during Butlers 4 year contract so the likelihood of them being lottery picks is minimal.

Dragic is a good placeholder and someone they could flip during the season or what the deadline.

This is it for the OKC "big three" story. What ifs will never be enough for the Thunders...

Yeah, I love Russ but damn, two ball hogs on one team, can't see them succeeding much together. Paul got shipped out like an unwanted piece of trash, what's up with that?

Houston had buyers remorse and didn't want to pay CP3 max money in his 30's.

 

[AvsFanInMichigan]

If Westbrook and Harden can not hog the ball then Houston will be better. It’s huge they pulled this off with only moving picks and Paul.

 

[chaosrevolver]

Paul George
Jeremi Grant
Russell Westbrook

for

Chris Paul
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Danilo Gallinari
2020 DEN 1st
2021 MIA 1st
2021 HOU 1st (pick swap)
2022 LAC 1st
2023 MIA 1st
2023 LAC 1st (pick swap)
2024 LAC 1st
2024 HOU 1st
2025 HOU 1st (pick swap)
2025 LAC 1st (pick swap)
2026 HOU 1st
2026 LAC 1st

Unbelievable value for OKC

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

If Westbrook and Harden can not hog the ball then Houston will be better. It’s huge they pulled this off with only moving picks and Paul.

So if Westbrook and Harden become completely different players they’ll be golden?

 

[TeddyBare]

They were talking about how Westbrook and Harden were 1,2 in the league in a stat that analytics started using

it the is the measure of players who shoot with 18 seconds or more on the shot clock.
So essentially both these guys get a rebound run up the floor, dont wait for the offense to get set up and just jack some horrible shot up. They said Melo lead the league in the same category for a few seasons.

Lets see if they can coexist in the way both players play today.

 

[Suiteness]

Westbrook gets such a bad rep

How so? He's an otherwordly athlete who's quite mediocre at the game of basketball. It's ridiculous how badly Lillard clowned his ass in the playoffs this year.

 

[dahrougem2]

Hahahahahahaha **** CP3. Hope OKC keeps him for the lol's or some random scrub team like Detroit or Minnesota trades for him.

 

[darko]

I'd rather have Westbrook than CP3

 

[EpochLink]

How so? He's an otherworldy athlete who's quite mediocre at the game of basketball. It's ridiculous how badly Lillard clowned his ass in the playoffs this year.

People felt bad for him cause KD ditched him, also people were OMG on the triple doubles he posted.

That shit don’t matter if ya can’t get out of the first round.

 

[Neutrinos]

Heat < Paul, Gallinari, Adams

Thunder < Dragic, Johnson, Waiters, Olynuk, Leonard + salary filler


Miami puts together a legit contender in the East

OKC get some vets on shorter deals to fill out the roster until those picks are ready to hatch

 

[The Night King]

I'm less worried about Houston now. Russ doesn't play winning basketball. He's more about putting on a show/making the SC Top 10 than winning games.

 

[Newsworthy]

Great trade. This is why the Paul George Ordeal looks worse.
Westbrook being a California native would have welcomed a trade to the Clippers.
LA panicked and traded for George immediately instead have being patient. Kawhi would have waited and Westbrook would fit much better than PG.

 

[dahrougem2]

Great trade. This is why the Paul George Ordeal looks worse.
Westbrook being a California native would have welcomed a trade to the Clippers.
LA panicked and traded for George immediately instead have being patient. Kawhi would have waited and Westbrook would fit much better than PG.

???

I will take Paul George any day of the week over Russell Westbrook. The Clippers most definitely targeted the right player, and he's also the player Kawhi wanted - not Russell Westbrook.

 

[TeddyBare]

Great trade. This is why the Paul George Ordeal looks worse.
Westbrook being a California native would have welcomed a trade to the Clippers.
LA panicked and traded for George immediately instead have being patient. Kawhi would have waited and Westbrook would fit much better than PG.

WHAT?
George was an MVP candidate and ALL NBA defensive 1st team last year and is 2 years younger.

You arent seriously suggesting Kawhi Leonard's first choice was Westbrook?
I'll bet he would have chosen Siakam as a running mate over Westbrook.
I mean give me break.

 

[Live in the Now]

Westbrook as a player is a big upgrade over Paul, and he fits into their double iso system quite well. Contracts are equally bad. This is a win for Houston, and OKC depending on how they can get out of the Paul deal.

But man, LAL, LAC, Portland, Denver, Utah, Houston, GS (they’ll still have Curry, Thompson and Draymond for the playoffs)... West is going to be a dogfight. No load management for Kawhi or LeBron.

The best seven teams in the West are so far above the rest that there will probably plenty of time for load management. Seeding is not that important when the teams are this equal.

 

[Terry Yake]

westbrook isn't that much of an upgrade over cp3. not to mention he's 30 and seems to have begun the downward spiral of his career

i really hope OKC keeps cp3 so he can rot there because **** him

 

[Aladyyn]

I am genuinely not sure this makes Houston better...