Ainge Should Shift Attention to Russell Westbrook

With Kevin Durant verbally agreeing to terms with the Golden State Warriors, the Thunder now face a decision with their remaining superstar Russell Westbrook.

The Kevin Durant sweepstakes are over. He is now the newest member of the two-time defending Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors. Durant passed on re-signing with Oklahoma City to join a team that won 73 games last season.

Durant leaves behind a Thunder team that was up 3-1 on the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals just this past season. He also leaves behind his good friend and fellow superstar Russell Westbrook who is scheduled to be a free agent in the summer of 2017.

Durant parting from the Thunder leaves Westbrook with a similar decision for next summer. With no Durant, the Thunder drop from a top-three team in the extremely competitive Western Conference to a team that will probably fighting for the seventh or eighth seed next season.

This brings into question whether Russell Westbrook will want to be part of the post-Durant rebuilding process. He is already considered a top-five player and, like Durant, can sign basically anywhere he so chooses. So why would he stay with a team that probably won’t be a title contender for the foreseeable future?

This puts Thunder general manager Sam Presti in a very tough position.

Presti and the Thunder didn’t get any compensation in return for Durant leaving, and letting the same happen next summer with Westbrook would most certainly put the franchise back even further in it’s rebuilding process. In fact, letting him walk and getting nothing in return would probably cost Presti his job.

What this all means is that the Thunder may need to trade Westbrook before next season’s trade deadline and the sooner they are able to find a viable suitor for him, the more they will get in return. If they wait until the deadline, teams will know how desperate they would be to move him and the offers would probably not be as good as if they were to trade him this off-season or early next season.

"I think Oklahoma City is going to have to trade Russell Westbrook."

- Chris Broussard pic.twitter.com/eHQ2vdrWe2
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) July 5, 2016

According to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, a Russell Westbrook trade will likely happen at some point.

Where could Westbrook land?

Basically anywhere he wants. The tricky part for Presti about shopping Westbrook is that no team will want to give up an arm and a leg in order to have him for just one season and then watch him walk away in free agency. Westbrook would have to be willing to sign a multi-year extension in order for teams to be willing to give up as much as OKC will be looking for in return.

Teams that make the most sense are both Los Angeles teams, since he is from the area and attended UCLA, the Boston Celtics who have tons of tradeable assets and talent to compliment Westbrook, and any team that has a superstar, but isn’t quite a title contender yet.

More from Hardwood Houdini

Does Danny Ainge have the desire to bring Westbrook to Boston?

He would be insane not to.

The Celtics still have an uncanny amount of young talent, developed talent and future draft picks at it’s disposal after Ainge failed to make any significant trades on draft night back in June. Multiple first round draft picks, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, and the #3 overall pick Jaylen Brown could all help the C’s entice the Thunder to let Westbrook go.

How would Westbrook fit in Boston?

Perfectly. His extreme competitive fire will make him the fan-favorite immediately from game one. Pairing him with newly signed free agent Al Horford and others would make the Celtics one of the top-two teams in the East right away.

Next: Celtics Should Look Into Trade for Nikola Vucevic

A Westbrook-to-Boston trade would change up the dynamic of the East and the fit would be perfect on both sides as they both attempt to get back to the NBA Finals.