Russell Westbrook finally put pen to paper on his 5-year, $205 million contract extension on Friday that will keep him in Oklahoma City through 2023 (should he pick up the final year player option). It’s a big deal for the Thunder as a franchise as it helps calm nerves within the organization and the fan base that were concerned they may lose another star to free agency, as they did with Kevin Durant.
Oklahoma City made the deal happen by showing Westbrook their commitment to improving the team and spending as needed to do so by going out and trading for Paul George and Carmelo Anthony this summer. The George trade in particular sent a message to Westbrook, as the Thunder noted that the Victor Oladipo trade and his extension hadn’t worked out and quickly moved on from it, taking a swing at George on the final year of his deal.
While trading for George might have sealed the deal on Westbrook staying, Westbrook’s extension could have just as big of an impact on George’s impending free agency in 2018. For months we’ve heard about George’s desire to end up back home in Los Angeles with the Lakers, but, at least publicly, he’s insisted a decision hasn’t been made (except for him not wanting to be in Indiana, that decision is final).
The Thunder traded for George hoping they could convince him to stick around long-term. Trading for George gives Oklahoma City the opportunity to offer George more money on a new deal than any other team, and acquiring his Bird Rights lets them go over the cap to retain him. However, the extra money wasn’t enough to keep George around in Indiana, so the Thunder had to make a much bigger impression on their new star.
The first major step in doing so was having Westbrook sign his extension, because it takes any questions out of George’s head that the team will sink over the course of a new deal in Oklahoma City. We saw last year what Westbrook’s value is and what he can do with an average supporting cast around him in the Western Conference. So long as Westbrook is healthy, the Thunder will be a playoff team.
With George, they can suddenly feel like a real contender again and the addition of Carmelo has George thinking this is a championship caliber squad. Last year proved Westbrook can lead a team to a mid-seed almost single-handedly, but, like everyone else in the current NBA, it requires some significant help to be a legitimate threat to reach the conference finals. In Oklahoma City, George can be assured now of a star running mate for the entirety of a new deal, something that isn’t a certainty in L.A.
The Lakers’ hopes for Paul George will be about appealing to his heart as the hometown kid, but also on them to bring in another max or near-max player to boost their chances at competing in the immediate. Much like when LeBron returned to Cleveland and the Cavs dealt Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love, the Lakers will have to bring in another high-profile veteran to convince George that they’re ready to compete now.
Westbrook was long considered a possibility, as another NBA star with L.A. ties and a strong presence in the fashion industry, but now he’s locked up in OKC and the Lakers will have to swing for the fences with LeBron James. The LeBron to L.A. rumors started in June and will only continue throughout the year, but James could also be orchestrating a reunion of his own in Cleveland by trying to bring his veteran Banana Boat crew together.
There will be a ton of variables that go into George’s 2018 free agency choice like how the Lakers young players develop, what LeBron chooses, and, probably most importantly, how the season goes for the Thunder. If things go according to script in Oklahoma City in 2017-18, with George and Westbrook working well together on the court and finding a bond off of it, now that Russ is committed long term, there’s a very real chance George could stay in America’s heartland rather than bolting back to the West Coast.
