How Russell Westbrook's Contract Is Pivotal to the OKC Thunder's Future

Despite what you may have read or heard about Russell Westbrook’s contract extension with the Thunder, it is very pivotal for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s future. And it is so in a very good way.

Everyone seems to have been down on Westbrook ever since last year’s playoffs, when he showed some immaturity on the court. He has done a bit of that this year as well.

It is ridiculous to focus on this small part of this player. Westbrook is one of the most talented athletes in the NBA and was second team All-NBA last season. Just to clarify, that means that he was voted as being one of the 10 best players in the entire NBA.

Is he a Top 10 player? Probably not yet. However, he is talented enough to deserve and warrant a big contract extension, which is exactly what he got. The Thunder wants to keep this guy. Management had to do this to keep him long term.

If they hadn’t, someone else would have. How does it help the Thunder long-term?

Well, there is the obvious way. It gives the Thunder another superstar to help propel the team toward its championship goals. Make no mistake about it; in today’s NBA, teams need more than just one elite player to win.

Having to compete with the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks cannot be done by one man. Russell Westbrook is the biggest piece of the supporting cast for Kevin Durant.

Despite the fact that most have decided to take the approach that Westbrook hurts Durant’s ability to win and lead, it could not be farther from the truth.

It is no coincidence that as Westbrook has become a better player and scorer, the Thunder have won more and more games. From just a 23-win season two years ago to a 55-win one last season, this team has improved with Westbrook.

They do have ways in which they need to get better and grow up. But that doesn’t just go for Westbrook. James Harden, Kendrick Perkins, Serge Ibaka and even Kevin Durant all have areas they need to keep working on.

With Westbrook, there is not nearly as much offensive pressure on Durant. Think about this: The Thunder starting five consist of two guys who are offensively-inclined and three (Thabo Sefolosha, Ibaka and Perkins) who are more talented on the defensive side of the ball.

If you take Westbrook out of that equation, Durant is the lone scorer on the court with that group. You may be saying, “But wait, in that case, you could just move Harden into the starting lineup.”

You’re right about that. However, who then is the scorer for the second unit? That unit is built around Harden as the main scorer.

This team has been built a certain way. Westbrook is a key cog in that machine. The team needs him here to help Durant and the team.

One key result of this contract that is not being talked about is the fact that this deal actually saved the Thunder a substantial amount of money.

Westbrook, had he been voted to any of the All-NBA teams, would have been eligible under the “Rose Rule,” to have received 30 percent of the Thunder’s salary cap as part of his contract. Him being voted to one of those teams is still very likely.

However, Westbrook opted to sign for less money. He’s receiving just 25 percent of the cap now. That may not seem like a big difference, but five percent is when you are talking about millions upon millions of dollars. It will end up being enough to help sign some of the other players later on.

This deal was great for the Thunder’s future. The team is now guaranteed that they will have a superstar point guard for the next five years. At the same time, the Thunder management also managed to save money toward their continued efforts at keeping this core group together.

This deal was a win for Westbrook, who got a big pay day and showed that he wants to be on this team. It was a win for the Thunder, who will now have two superstars and some extra money going forward. And it was a win for the fans, who can now have even more confidence  in this young squad going forward.

This deal was great for the Thunder’s future. Others will tell you differently. Don’t believe them.

Agree? Disagree? Have a point to make? Let me know in the comments section.

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