You can’t change the past, and in many cases, you don’t have much control over the future, either. It’s becoming increasingly-clear that there was little Russell Westbrook, or anybody else for that matter, could’ve done to convince Kevin Durant to stay in Oklahoma City last summer. His mind was already made up.
Still, the former MVP went through the motions and met with teammates prior to signing with the Warriors on day one. It was during that meeting that Westbrook apparently told Durant that he was willing to do whatever was necessary to keep him around, including re-inventing his game to better suit his whims. Via Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com:
In the last week of June, with the free agency signing period looming, Durant meets Thunder teammates Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison and assistant coach Royal Ivey at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood. Over steaks, Westbrook, in an effort to lobby Durant to stay in Oklahoma City, asks Durant what he could do differently. The Thunder contingent leaves the restaurant that night with the impression that Durant will return.
This completely flies in the face of some people’s image of Westbrook as a stubborn, intractable teammate who’s more concerned with stats-chasing and preserving his alpha-dog status. Obviously, the breakup of the Thunder’s superstar duo was painful for everybody involved, but it also gave birth to what could end up as one of the greatest single-season performances the league has ever seen.
(ESPN.com; h/t NBC Sports)
